This sign indicates that there is a traffic signal ahead.

This sign indicates that the road that you are on intersects with a divided highway. A divided highway is two one-way roadways separated by a median or guide rail.

A pennant-shaped sign marks the beginning of a no passing zone.

This sign indicates that left turns are prohibited.

This sign prohibits drivers from making a U-turn. You cannot turn around to go in the opposite direction at an intersection where this sign is posted.

Before mounting your motorcycle, always test the lights. It is essential to your safety that they be in working order every time you are on the road.

This sign indicates that there is a sharp right turn ahead.

Warning signs prepare drivers for upcoming road conditions and hazards and are usually yellow with black markings. This sign tells drivers that they are approaching an area with low clearance.

Warning signs provide notice to road users of a situation that might not be readily apparent and are usually yellow with black markings. This sign warns drivers to be careful when driving under wet conditions as the pavement will become slippery and more difficult to navigate safely.

Octagonal signs that are colored red are always stop signs. When approaching one of these signs, you must come to a complete stop, yield to any other traffic or pedestrians, and proceed once it is safe to do so.

This sign indicates parking spaces that are reserved for vehicles displaying Persons with Disabilities license plates, Disabled Veteran license plates, and/or disabled parking placards.

These signs indicate that the road curves to the right ahead and that drivers should slow down to the safe speed indicated (in this case, 35 mph).

Motorcycles parked on the side of a road should be parked at a 90-degree angle with the rear wheel touching the curb.

This sign alerts you to the possibility of traffic merging into the main stream of travel. After checking to your side and rear, you should move into another lane, if possible, to allow merging motorists a clear path.

A yield sign means that you must slow down and yield the right-of-way to traffic in the intersection or roadway you are entering.

A head or neck injury is always a risk when riding a motorcycle, regardless of your speed of travel. With few exceptions, the risk of head and neck injuries is greatly reduced by properly wearing a quality helmet.

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.

A pre-ride inspection should include checks of the tires, oil and fluids, lights, signals, clutch, throttle, mirrors, brakes, and horn. Conduct a thorough pre-ride inspection before every ride.

Loads should kept low, either fastened securely or in saddlebags. Piling loads against a sissy bar or frame on the back of a seat is dangerous because it can raise the motorcycle's center of gravity and change the balance of the motorcycle. Loads should be equally distributed on both sides of the motorcycle.

If a hazard requires you to brake and swerve to avoid a collision, you should take the actions separately. Do not brake while swerving because doing so may cause your motorcycle to fall over.

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.

In general, it is best for a group to ride in a staggered formation. Move into a single-file formation when taking a curve, making a turn, entering a highway, or leaving a highway.

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.

Loads should be secured low in order to avoid upsetting the motorcycle's balance.

To minimize your chances of being in a crash, you should make yourself as visible as possible by wearing brightly-colored clothing when riding, even during the day.

During normal turns, the motorcycle and the rider should be leaning together at the same angle. In slow, tight turns, only the motorcycle should lean while the rider keeps their body straight up.

The extra weight of a passenger means that your motorcycle will need more time than usual to speed up, slow down, and turn. To accommodate the added weight, you should reduce your speed; start slowing earlier than normal; increase your following distance; and seek out larger gaps when crossing, entering, or merging with traffic.

Because a small technical fault can have more serious consequences on a motorcycle than on a car, motorcycles need to be checked more frequently. Complete a thorough check before every ride.

Any U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmet is required to have an impact-resistant outer shell, an impact-absorbing inner liner, a comfort liner, and a chinstrap retention system.

If either of your tires go flat while you are riding, hold the handgrips firmly, ease off the throttle, and maintain a straight course. If you need to brake, gradually apply the brake to the tire that is not flat. As you slow down, edge to the side of the road, squeeze the clutch, and stop.

In potential high-risk areas, such as school zones or construction zones, cover the clutch and both brakes. This cuts down the amount of time you will need to react to a hazard.

The mirrors of motorcycles have blind spots, just like those of cars. Always turn your head to check your blind spot before changing lanes.

Wearing a helmet is your best defense against injury while riding a motorcycle. Wearing a plastic, shatter-resistant face shield can help protect your face from injury in a crash.

Wearing a helmet is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce the risk of head or neck injuries in the event of a crash.

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 being passed, the center portion of the lane is generally the safest lane position for a motorcyclist. Riding on the side nearest the passing vehicle increases the risk of colliding with it. Riding on the side farthest from the passing vehicle can also be dangerous because it may prompt the driver to return to your lane before it is safe to do so.

Do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal in the road. If you are in traffic, however, you should remain in your lane. Swerving into another lane of traffic to avoid hitting an animal can cause you to collide with another driver. Hitting something small is less dangerous than hitting something big.

Your following distance should be larger than usual when you are traveling under imperfect conditions. Increase your following distance if pavement is slippery, you can't see through the vehicle in front of you, or traffic is heavy.

Moving into the portion of your lane farthest from a passing vehicle is potentially dangerous because it could encourage the driver to return to your lane before it is safe to do so. It is safest to stay in the center of a lane when being passed.

It is dangerous to ride directly alongside a vehicle in another lane because you may be in the vehicle's blind spot and the driver will have no way of knowing you are there. It can also be dangerous because the vehicle may block your path of escape if another hazard arises.