There is no doubt that two-wheelers are an affordable and convenient means to travel. While 21 million bikes and scooters have already been sold in 2019 alone, the risks related to riding a two wheeler are high enough and cannot be ignored.
The auto industry has seen a steady rise in two-wheelers over the years. While two-wheelers are an easy mode of transport; they have also created a lot of risks on Indian roads. Lakhs of people die every year due to accidents and a majority of the victims are two-wheeler riders.
Here are some of the major risks that you should know about before you plan on riding a bike of your own-
1. Juvenile Riders
A Two-wheeler is the first vehicle kids are introduced to. Easy to ride and lack of law enforcement allows kids under the age of 18 to have a joy ride every now and then. With no road sense, experience and sense of responsibility towards other vehicles and pedestrians, kids often ride irresponsibly. Taking turns without an indicator, swirling on the roads and not following the traffic rules create confusion of roads and make them some of the most lethal defaulters. Their careless driving is dangerous for them and those driving around them.
2. No Safety Gear
It is a common practice among Indians to ride without a helmet. India can save several lives on roads if people just start wearing helmets. Besides, the majority of the people are not aware of the importance of elbow guards and knee caps while riding a bike. Riders can escape major injuries by just wearing proper riding gear.
3. Misaligned or No Rearview Mirrors
Indian riders are used to riding without using rearview mirrors. For instance, while taking turns, they tend to look back to take an idea of traffic behind them. This practice could become lethal as for a few moments, the rider’s attention is not on the front side. Using rearview mirrors can greatly help a rider to know about the traffic around him, and can cause clashes while taking sharp turns or overtaking.
4. Improper Maintenance
Timely service and maintenance of bikes, both are essential to keep the engine and brakes in good condition. The majority of the bikes on roads are not serviced properly leading to collisions and frequent engine breakdown.
5. Over-Speeding
Most Indian roads are not designed to ride at high speeds. Even then, riders tend to break the speed limit for cheap thrills. At high speeds, lower CC bikes that are not designed to continuously run in triple-digit speeds become extremely unstable and increase the possibility of an accident due to loss of balance. Over-speeding is one of the major causes behind the increasing number of accidents in India and should be checked seriously.
Even if you ride carefully and follow all traffic laws, there would be so many others who would ignore or simply not know them. Since you cannot do much about how others drive, you can take proper precautions from your end for your safety.
Safe Riding!
