How Can You Increase Your Visibility When Riding Motorcycles?

If you’re a Pomona resident who likes to ride your motorcycle, you may hesitate to don your leather protective gear when the sun is at its zenith during the hottest months of the year.

While leather jackets, chaps and other accessories provide protection to motorcyclists’ vulnerable body parts, there’s no question that they can be stifling to wear in warm weather. Also, black leather gear doesn’t give bikers the visibility they need to remain safer while riding.

What are the alternatives?

Savvy riders know that high-visibility clothing in fluorescent colors can make them stand out to motorists in all sorts of weather conditions — rain, hazy smoke and also during the low-light hours of twilight and dawn.

A recent study revealed that motorcyclists wearing high-visibility clothing are 37 percent less likely to crash. Some remain resistant, however, as they may feel that donning fluorescent yellow or orange doesn’t allow them to look as “cool” as they do when wearing their black leather gear.

Of course, this perception hardly matters if the end result is another dead or maimed motorcyclist. The primary goal for every motorcycle ride should be survival. If wearing brightly colored riding gear furthers that aim, bikers’ response should be a solid yes every time.

It’s also possible to retro-fit your current gear to increase your visibility to motorists on California highways. Attaching a few strips of fluorescent tape to the back and sleeves of your current riding gear can increase your visibility profile and help you remain uninjured.

Black helmets, too, are not very visible to drivers. Decent motorcycle helmets can be costly, and if you don’t want to toss your current helmet out and purchase another, consider affixing one or more bright fluorescent decals to it instead.You could also don a lightweight neon yellow vest over the rest of your riding gear. When you arrive at your destination, simply remove the vest and stow it away with your helmet until it’s time to ride home.

Were you injured in a motorcycle accident? You can hold the at-fault motorist liable for your injuries and damages by filing a claim with the driver’s insurance company.