How safe are scooters?
Scooters, motorcycles, and bicycles all suffer from the same disadvantage - they only have two wheels, and the rider is exposed in a crash. As a result they are all less safe than cars.
That said, there are things you can do to improve your own safety when riding:
Assume you are invisible to other traffic. This means you need to be constantly watching others around you and anticipating what they will do. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists, and animals as well as cars, trucks, and buses.
Make an effort to be seen. Wear bright colored clothing, ride a colorful scooter, and always use your lights and turn signals. The best clothing has reflective patches to reflect headlights in the dark.
Always be on the lookout. Keep your eyes scanning the road ahead and to the sides. Keep an eye on your mirrors so you’re not surprised by a truck suddenly passing you. And look over your shoulder before changing lanes to make sure it’s clear.
Keep a clear buffer zone around you when you ride. This means stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead of you, and be watching as far as 12 seconds ahead. This also means to position yourself in your lane so that you have as much room as possible to react to things like doors suddenly opening or deer jumping into the road.
Slow down before you have to. This is especially important on turns - braking in turns in the number one cause of single vehicle motorcycle accidents. Also be careful when approaching water, sand, gravel, paint (including pavement markings), and tar lines - all of which are slipperier than concrete or blacktop. And lets not forget railroad crossings and trash in the road.
ATGATT - All The Gear, All The Time. Putting on protective gear is a nusiance, but it’s nothing compared to months of rehab after having large patches of skin scraped off your body in an accident. Get quality gear, and wear it! Always!
These are just a few suggestions for safer riding which are taught as part of the MSF Basic RiderCourse at MCC. Scooter riding, on average, is more dangerous than riding in a car, but you can beat the odds by becoming an above-average rider. Sign up at Learn2Ride.net.
