Even if your passenger is also a motorcyclist, you should give them complete safety instructions before leaving on a trip. Ask them to get on the motorcycle only after you have started the engine. They should sit as far forward as possible without crowding you and firmly hold onto your waist, hips, or belt. They should keep both feet on the footrests at all times, even when the bike is stopped.

Inexperienced riders should ride near the front of a group, just behind the leader, so more experienced riders can keep an eye on them from behind.

When passing a row of parked cars, it is often safest to ride in the left portion of your lane. Riding in the left portion will keep you farthest from any opening car doors, people stepping out from between cars, and cars pulling out of parking spaces.

Because a sidecar sits on the right side of a motorcycle, riding too far to the right side of your lane risks the sidecar running off the road. Similarly, on a three-wheeled motorcycle, the rear right wheel may leave the road if you get too close to the right edge.

No matter the speed, riders who are not wearing helmets are three times more likely to die from head injuries than riders who are wearing helmets at the time of a crash.

When marijuana is smoked, it can begin to affect the smoker within minutes and effects can last for between two and four hours. When marijuana is eaten, it may take over an hour to begin to affect the consumer, but the effects of the marijuana may last for more than six hours.

A well-chosen lane position should increase your ability to see and be seen and keep you out of other drivers' blind spots. It should help you avoid surface hazards, protect your lane from other drivers, communicate your intentions to others, help you avoid wind blasts from other vehicles, and offer you an escape route from any hazards that may arise.

The brake light of a motorcycle is usually not as noticeable as the brake lights of a car. Flashing your brake light before slowing or stopping can help other drivers notice that you are about to brake.

If you are unable avoid an obstacle and must instead ride over it, slow down and approach the obstacle at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Keep your motorcycle straight up and down, if possible. Just before contact, roll off the throttle slightly to lighten the front end of the motorcycle.

The front brake of a motorcycle is more powerful than the rear brake. It can provide three-fourths of the bike's total stopping power.

On a two-lane highway, a group of riders should pass another vehicle one at a time. The second rider should not begin to pass until the first rider has safely re-entered the original lane. Riders should continue in this pattern until they have all safely passed the vehicle.

Allowing a cushion of space around your motorcycle at all times will help ensure that you will have time to react if another driver makes a mistake. You will need the space to maneuver safely.

While a properly chosen lane position can offer several advantages, you should be certain that your lane position will allow you to be seen by others and have an adequate space cushion.

You should always have your headlight on when riding, even during the day. This can make you twice as likely to be noticed by other drivers.

When doing a pre-ride inspection of your motorcycle, you should check the air pressure, general wear, and tread of your tires.

For your protection while riding, it is best to wear a jacket and pants that cover your arms and legs completely. Boots or shoes should be tall and sturdy enough to cover and support your ankles. Footwear should have low heels that will not catch on the foot pegs or rough road surfaces. Gloves made of leather or another durable material will help protect your hands in the event of a crash while providing you with an improved grip on the controls.

In general, it is safest to simply proceed straight in your lane when crossing angled railroad tracks. Turning to approach tracks at a right angle can be dangerous because it may send you traveling into another lane.

Most drugs taken to ease headaches, colds, hay fever, allergies, or nerves can make the consumer drowsy and may impair their ability to ride safely. When taking a medication, it is important for a rider to know how the drug affects their body before riding.

If you need to stop quickly, you should apply both brakes at the same time.

In warm weather, a riding jacket will help prevent dehydration in addition to serving the basic protective function that it provides at all times. Many jackets are designed to protect riders against overheating, even in warm weather.

You should not rely on eye contact to guarantee that a driver will yield to you. It is not uncommon for a driver to look directly at a motorcyclist and still fail to actually notice them.

A following distance of at least four seconds is recommended for beginning riders. Increase your following distance any time conditions are less than perfect.

If someone is following you too closely, it is a good idea to flash your brake light before slowing down. A tailgater may be concentrating on you and not see upcoming hazards that require traffic to slow down.

A properly chosen lane position can optimize a number of safety factors. Your lane position should keep you out of other vehicles’ blind spots, increase your ability to see and be seen, help you avoid surface hazards, help you avoid wind blasts from other vehicles, and provide you with an escape route from any hazards that might arise. You should be positioned in a way that discourages other drivers from trying to share your lane.

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.