With some exceptions, motorcycle riders make better drivers. The skills they develop and refine to stay safe on motorcycles translate to behind-the-wheel driving, too. In a sense, those skills are the antithesis of the level of attention drivers have while texting. To put it simply, qualified motorcycle riders are hyper attentive when compared to many drivers of automobiles.

Hyper-attentive driving means that they are actively trying to see everything that is going on while they ride or drive. At an intersection, they’re watching to see if someone will run a red light in their path. After all, the price of an automobile-vs.-motorcycle collision is fairly obvious. The motorcycle rider is going to lose that battle with a two-ton vehicle.

Someone in a car may not have the same sense of vulnerability in terms of potential accidents. After all, they’re protected by metal on all sides. Unfortunately, that sense of security is largely illusionary. If that weren’t true, states wouldn’t compile extensive records on traffic accident fatalities and injuries.

Smaller cars, often designed to improve rates of fuel consumption, are even more vulnerable than larger cars, though only marginally. All in all, the best way to improve your chances in an accident is to avoid the accident altogether.

Attentiveness is the key. But, motorcyclists are not merely attentive to what is happening around them; they’re also attentive to what can happen. They see the lights on the back of the parked car ahead and realize it may suddenly back into traffic. They see someone park and realize they might open the car door in the path of the motorcycle.

“When you’re riding a motorcycle, you’ll see children playing in a front yard and realize one of them could suddenly run into traffic after a ball,” said Denny Norton, owner of Ringwood based auto repair shop Performance Unlimited.  “If a driver up ahead suddenly hits the brakes because they almost missed their turn, motorcycle riders are not as surprised as other drivers. Motorcycle riders are always scanning their surroundings and expecting the unexpected.”

Motorcycle riders are, as a rule, also more aware of road conditions. They know what rain will do to traction and they allow more time. More time to brake doesn’t just apply in front of them; it also applies behind them.

The weight of a vehicle plays a significant role in the vehicles ability to stop quickly. The larger/heavier the vehicle the more the brakes will have to work to bring it to a stop. Therefore, motorcycle riders are cognizant of how close they’re following the vehicle in front and how close the vehicle behind is following them.

Motorcycle riders also know that the center of a lane is where the oil drips from a car’s engine. When that oil mixes with rain it creates a particularly slippery surface. That’s why motorcyclists will ride in one side or the other side of the lane but not in the center. If a car has to hit the brakes, and one set of tires is in the center of the lane, that set of tires may not grab the road as well.

Yes, there are some people on motorcycles who seem determined to tempt fate to the fullest. Most, however, are well aware how quickly an auto-vs.-motorcycle accident will adjust that kind of perspective for anyone with rational thought.

The point is that four-wheel drivers can learn from their two-wheel-riding brothers and sisters. Yes, it’s a terrible idea to text and drive. On the other hand, if you really prefer to avoid accidents, constant vigilance and defensive driving can go a long way.