Posted on Jun 20, 2019

Why You Should Avoid Laying Your Bike Down In An Accident

It has often been advised that motorcycle riders lay down their motorcycle in the event of an accident. Riders often touted this technique as the safest course of action in the event of an imminent collision. This commonly held belief is because many years ago motorcycles lacked the technology and capabilities that modern motorcycles now have.

Modern improvements to brake systems alone have essentially made laying your bike down obsolete. Head and neck injuries, broken bones, road rash and a totaled bike are just about the only things guaranteed when you lay down your bike, problems that could easily be avoided with the correct techniques.

First and foremost, staying upright is key to avoiding accidents. The rubber on the tires provides a great deal of traction. Whereas the metal and chrome of the motorcycle provide virtually no traction or maneuverability when the bike slides out of control during a laydown.

Next, riders are advised to brake quickly if they’re in a dangerous situation that could lead to an accident. Newer motorcycles now have top-notch braking capabilities, so don’t be afraid to brake suddenly if necessary. Applying pressure to both brakes on modern bikes will engage their anti-lock brake systems or ABS. ABS will continuously pulsate the brakes for you to prevent them from locking up and causing your tires to skid.

Finally, it’s essential that riders know how to swerve safely. To avoid a possible collision, a rider should learn how to quickly swerve the motorcycle around objects and vehicles. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and not swerve into anything or anyone. If smaller obstacles like trash, debris or roadkill is unavoidable it can be safer to just straighten out and ride over it as swerving too late and hitting the object can cause you to lose control.

These techniques are expanded upon in “Real Speed” rider classes which can help to hone riders’ abilities to effectively avoid obstacles at real driving speeds, we encourage riders to check out these classes as maintaining and building upon your riding skillset is essential to ensuring your safety while riding.

Motorcycle accidents are extremely dangerous and have a high rate of injuries. If you have been involved in an accident, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Contact the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678 or via online chat 24/7 at hupy.com to begin your free consultation.

To keep up with all the relevant news and tips for bikers, follow our Current News For Riders page.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.