Technology isn’t just being used to make motorcycles faster or more powerful. It is also being used to make riding them safer. Innovations in motorcycle safety have changed the levels of protection when you ride these powerful machines. Here are some of the best innovations that have gone a long way in increasing safety for motorcyclists:
Airbags are challenging to deploy in motorcycles. However, now you can buy clothes that are fitted with smart airbags that are controlled by a computerized system. When an accident is about to take place, the system deploys these airbags within milliseconds, thereby protecting the rider from serious injury.
One of the weakest points in a motorcycle is its headlights. They are relatively small and tend to have a weak output of light. Because of this, the road ahead tends not to be adequately illuminated, and this becomes especially dangerous when taking turns around dark corners.
Adaptive headlights have changed that. They are not yet available on all bikes and can be bought as add-on devices. These headlights use electronic sensors and turn along with the motorcycle. This way, the light shines in the direction that you are taking, rather than straight ahead. And this is what helps avoid accidents.
Anti-Lock Braking System
One of the causes of accidents on motorcycles is the locking of the wheel when the brakes are suddenly applied. The anti-lock braking system prevents this from occurring by rapidly increasing and decreasing brake pressure repeatedly per second.
This system has shown dramatic results by reducing the number of fatal motorcycle crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s data shows that motorcycles fitted with the anti-lock brake system had 31% fewer fatal accidents than those that weren’t equipped with this new technology.
Tire Pressure Monitors
Accident risks on motorcycles are increased when the tires have low pressure. This makes the motorcycle’s handling more sluggish, which means that it becomes more difficult to react quickly in tight situations.
Now, the latest motorcycles are fitted with electronic monitors that keep an eye on their tire pressure. These monitors will give you a warning when your bike’s tires have lower than optimal pressure.
Vehicle to Vehicle Communication
This technology is still under development, but the basic concept is that using short-range radio networks, vehicles on the road will be able to communicate with each other. With this technology, vehicles will be able to detect each other’s presence on the road, thereby reducing the chance of an accident.
Automatic Clutch and Shift
Automatic cars have been on the roads for years, but now auto companies are producing motorcycles that are equipped with automatic clutch and shift operations, thereby making riding bikes easier.
Helmets are critical to the safety of the rider in case of an accident, but ironically, it also makes things more dangerous. This is because the motorcyclist’s peripheral vision and hearing are reduced when wearing a helmet.
Now, a Taiwanese company has designed a helmet that comes fitted with a 2k in-built front camera, a microphone and in-built speakers as well as a rear-view camera. The helmet also has a display unit that gives the rider information on speed, navigation, and even weather conditions. The helmet is also equipped with voice activation so that the rider can provide voice directions.
While all these innovations are exciting and contribute to the safety of the motorcyclist, the one thing that will prevent the involvement of a motorcycle accident lawyer is to ride safely and focus on the road at all times.