While riding in a staggered formation is generally the best option when traveling in a group, riders should move into a single-file line through curves, through turns, and when entering or exiting a highway.

Drippings from cars tend to form an oily strip in the center of each lane. Unless conditions are wet, it is usually still safe for a motorcycle to operate on the center strip.

Small vehicles, like motorcycles, can visually seem to be farther away and moving more slowly than they actually are. This phenomenon can make it difficult for others on the road to accurately judge the location and speed of a smaller vehicle.

Because of the extra weight placed on a motorcycle by a passenger, you may need to adjust the motorcycle's shocks before carrying a passenger. Because the motorcycle will sit at a different angle, you should also adjust the headlight and mirrors to compensate for the additional weight.

While the basic techniques for safely passing and being passed are the same as when driving a car, visibility is more critical when riding a motorcycle. The smaller size of a motorcycle makes it easier for you to disappear into another vehicle's blind spot, or for the driver to fail to notice you even if they are able to see you.

It is safest to wear long pants and a jacket to fully cover your arms and legs while riding. Clothing made of leather can provide the highest level of protection.

A number of surfaces can provide poor traction for tires. Wet pavement; roads covered in loose gravel or sand; muddy, snowy, or icy areas; and painted lane markings can be more hazardous for a motorcyclist than dry pavement.

To increase your chances of being seen at an intersection, leave your headlight turned on and ride in a lane position that most easily allows oncoming traffic to see you. Maintain a space cushion that allows you to take evasive action if necessary. Never assume that another driver sees you, even if you make eye contact with the driver.

A properly chosen lane position should provide a number of benefits, including an increased ability to see others and to be seen. It should help you avoid wind blasts, other drivers' blind spots, and surface hazards. Your lane position should discourage other drivers from trying to share your lane and provide you with an escape route, should a hazard arise.

Rounded, or convex, mirrors provide a wider view of the road than flat mirrors, but they also make objects seem farther away than they actually are.

Passes must be completed within posted speed limits. Only pass where it is safe and legal to do so.

A properly chosen lane position should provide a number of benefits, including an increased ability to see others and to be seen. It should help you avoid wind blasts, other drivers' blind spots, and surface hazards. Your lane position should discourage other drivers from trying to share your lane and provide you with an escape route, should a hazard arise.

You should use both brakes every time you slow or stop.

While a staggered group formation is usually best, it is better to switch to a single-file formation when turning, taking curves, or entering or exiting a highway.

Under Texas law, a person with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher is considered legally intoxicated. It is both illegal and dangerous to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Maintaining a cushion of space between your motorcycle and other vehicles on the road will give you a clearer view of any emerging hazards, more time to react to hazards, and more space to maneuver around them.

Your lane position affects a number of factors that are important to your safety on the road. Among other things, your position should help you increase your ability to see and be seen, avoid other drivers' blind spots, and set you up for any turns you plan to make.

A riding jacket and long pants should still be worn when riding in hot weather. In addition to their other safety benefits, they can protect a rider from heat exhaustion and dehydration.

An expanded cushion of space is needed if your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. If the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead of you, or if traffic is heavy and another driver may try to squeeze in front of you, open up to a larger following distance.

If you are not riding slowly enough when shifting into a lower gear, your motorcycle may lurch and the rear tire may skid, causing you to lose control of your motorcycle. Be sure that you are moving slowly enough before shifting into a lower gear.