Mississippi Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Talk About How to Ride Safely at Night

Riding a motorcycle requires a great deal of skill and concentration at any time. Night riding presents even more challenges and requires an even greater level of skillful focus. One challenge is that it is more difficult for other vehicles to see you. Your ability to see important things like signs and pavement markings is affected too. It is also hard to see pedestrians and wildlife at night, and you may have little time to react to them when you come upon them. Riding at night is not only more challenging than riding during the day, it is also more dangerous. Sixty percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents that occur in America happen after dark.

Nighttime riding becomes a little safer if you keep your speed down. By riding more slowly than you would during the day, you give yourself more time to react to anything that you might see in the road, including other vehicles. Riding at night is more taxing for your eyes than riding during the day, and your eyes can actually get tired, even if the rest of your body is well rested. If your eyes get tired, find a safe location and take a rest break. Wildlife are often present near roadways after dark, so be on the lookout for them, as they often stand on the side of the road and then dart unexpectedly into the roadway.

You can also keep yourself safe at night by increasing your visibility. Other motorists should be paying attention and looking out for motorcycles as they drive along. That said, one of the most common types of motorcycle crashes involves a vehicle turning left and into the path of a motorcycle, causing the rider to collide with the vehicle. These left-turn accidents often result in serious injury or death. In order to prevent left-turn accidents and other types of accidents that could occur if a driver does not see you, do as much as you can to increase your visibility to others on the road.

Reflective or fluorescent accents can increase visibility, so display them on clothing, helmets, and even on your bike. Good lighting also increases your visibility. If your bike has a small rear brake light, consider replacing it with a bigger, brighter one. You can also add running lights to the front of your bike, so that there are three lights instead of just one. You can maximize the brightness of your headlight by using a DOT-approved super bright headlight bulb. The angle at which your headlight is aimed matters, too. Check your state’s motorcycle laws, and then raise your headlight to the maximum angle that the law allows.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Mississippi Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

If you or someone that you love has been injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, it is important that you speak with an attorney right away. A Mississippi Motorcycle Accident Attorney can help you to understand the process of pursuing a motorcycle accident case, and what you might expect to happen as your case progresses from start to finish. The knowledgeable Mississippi Motorcycle Accident Attorneys at the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. invite you to contact us. Call the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. today at (601) 355-2022 to schedule your free consultation.