One of the most dangerous positions you face on the road, as a motorcyclist, is when you slow down and stop and the driver behind you does not notice.
For instance, maybe a school bus stops ahead of you. The driver of the pickup truck behind you is texting and driving, and they don’t see your bike slow down. They plow into the back of the motorcycle, and there’s nothing you can do to avoid it.
Or is there?
Some experts say that the best thing you can do is to tap your brakes before slowing down. This flashes the brake light a few times, like a blinker. The flashing may catch someone’s attention when a solid red light would not have done so.
In fact, some brake lights are designed to do this any time you hit the brakes. If yours are not, though, you can definitely do it manually.
Another potential use is if you have a tailgater behind you. While that car feels very close to you, on your motorcycle, the other driver may not realize just how close they are and how dangerous that is. A few rapid taps on the brakes sends a message. Don’t hit them hard enough to actually slow down, risking an accident, but just touch them enough to activate that light. Most drivers, even inattentive ones, will get the message.
This tip can help keep you safe and avoid accidents, but nothing guarantees that careless drivers will back off or stop in time. If you get hit on your motorcycle, you may have a right to compensation.
