When the weather’s right, it’s a great opportunity to partake in a group motorcycle ride to celebrate something or raise money for a cause. That being said, you should always be considering ways to prevent a group ride motorcycle accident. With more bikes on the road, everyone should be on the same page about the route, the stops, and the signals you’ll be using as your make your way.

Remember that even with more motorcycles traveling, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re more visible to car operators. Motor vehicle drivers in California may not realize the movement patterns or signals you’re using with your group, and you should not count on the fact that there are many of you as your only form of accident prevention. Planning ahead is the best way to avoid a group ride motorcycle accident. What follows are several tips on how to do this so that you can avoid accidents, injuries, and personal injury claims.

As the group organizer of a motorcycle ride, it’s in your best interests to stay organized and ahead of the game. Your role as the primary communicator can ensure that all riders are on the same page and help to avoid accidents and injuries. Consider the following tips when planning your trip and before the group leaves:

  1. Make sure everyone knows the route.
  2. Determine signals ahead of time
  3. When making stops, ensure that the whole group is able to get safely off the road. Investigate stopping points ahead of time to increase the chances that everyone will be able to get out of harm’s way as soon as possible.
  4. As the leader, make sure that your pace is no faster than the least experienced riders. Trying to go too fast could put your inexperienced riders at a disadvantage and increase the chances that one of them causes a group ride motorcycle accident.
  5. Use a single-file formation when the road narrows to a two-lane highway.
  6. Explain to participants that it’s never acceptable to block an intersection just for the sake of staying caught up with the group
  7. Treat sidecars and trikes just like a vehicle. Allow them to travel alone in the center of the lane.
  8. Always use the side-by-side formation as you approach an intersection so as to minimize traffic congestion.
  9. Avoid weaving in and out between and around cars, and ensure that all riders know about potential blind spots with vehicles so as to avoid this scenario whenever possible.
  10. Make sure that everyone has their bike checked out prior to the ride. Mechanical issues can become very dangerous during a group ride, particularly if motorcyclists are traveling close to one another.

There’s no reason that your group motorcycle ride can’t have fun, but you should always be focused on safety first. In order to avoid a group ride motorcycle accident, make sure everyone is on the same page before you hit the road.