There are a lot of safety tips that people will happily share with motorcycle riders. Some people will tell riders to wear brightly-colored clothes or to install loud audio systems on their bikes to attract the attention of others in traffic. Some people will recommend specific aftermarket upgrades to motorcycles or a particular brand of helmet.

Much of that advice is subjective. However, there is one safety tip that has become increasingly popular in defensive driving courses. Even the National Safety Council has a video advocating for this particular safety tip.

They should pretend they are invisible

If a motorcyclist imagines that the car across the intersection from them doesn’t see them, they would probably wait before completing their turn. If they realize that a trucker does not see them, they would likely avoid driving directly next to the trailer of an 18-wheeler.

Although motorcyclists are often technically visible in traffic, other people simply fail to see them, possibly while looking right at where they are on the road. The way the human brain handles the intense amount of information it receives in traffic involves sorting that information in order of priority. Since motorcycles are not much of a safety concern when compared with an 18-wheeler, the brain may not prioritize warning people about a motorcycle in the next lane or across an intersection.

By pretending that every other driver in traffic cannot see them, motorcycle riders can make better choices that protect them from the black safety habits of others in traffic.

In motorcycle collisions, the smaller vehicle loses

It is not very comforting for those hurt in a collision to know that they are not at fault for the wreck. A motorcycle collision almost always leads to far worse consequences for the rider than it does for the people in the larger enclosed vehicle.

While it certainly isn’t fair that motorcyclists have to accept the brunt of the safety concerns in such collisions, recognizing this degree of risk can help to keep some people a bit safer on the roads. Engaging in defensive driving techniques, such as proactively pretending that other drivers can’t see a rider, may potentially help people avoid motorcycle collisions. Additionally, defensive driving on the part of a rider can help their attorney to establish that the other party was at fault if a crash does occur.