As a rider, it’s your responsibility to ensure the safety of the pillion to enjoy the thrill of your ride
While driving a two-wheeler calls for being cautious, you need to be extra careful if you’re also carrying a pillion rider with you. Any injury or damage suffered by the pillion rider can take fun out of your journey and therefore, it’s crucial for you to ensure the safety of your co-passenger. Here are few effective tips that can help you to keep your pillion safe during the long-distance rides and make sure that your trip is an enjoyable one. If you have a two wheeler insurance then it will secure you from any financial losses occurred due to any accident and driving without motor insurance is illegal in India.
Put on Helmet
It’s essential to wear a helmet while riding a two-wheeler, not only for you but also for the pillion rider. It comes handy in case of a mishap. At the same time, it’s vital to make sure the helmet is not a makeshift one and is duly certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) with an ISI-mark.
New helmet standards have been introduced in India which make them light, from the earlier 1.5 kg to 1.2 kg, and adequately ventilated. Make sure that the helmets worn by you and your co-rider protect the face and skull.
Ensure the Feet Reach the Foot Pegs
It is important for you to ensure that the feet of your pillion reach the foot pegs of your bike. This is vital for balance so that he/she doesn’t fall off during the ride. Often pillion riders find it difficult to reach the foot pegs because of which they continuously move during the ride, which makes it hard for the driver to control the bike.
In case your co-rider is finding it difficult to reach the foot pegs, you can make some modifications in your bike to bring them up. This is often the case if the rider happens to be a child, who may find it difficult to reach the foot pegs.
Ensure Your Pillion Holds on to You During Ride
This is one of the simple and most effective ways to ensure the safety of your co-passenger. Ask him/her to hold on to you during the ride to avoid falling off. Also, tell your pillion to hold on to your waist and not shoulder or arms for better grip.
Today, most of the bikes have grab rails which the pillion rider can hold onto during the ride. If your bike doesn’t have these rails, you can always get them fitted. In fact, they offer better grip than holding onto the rider.
Acquaint Your Pillion with Basic Riding Rules
As a driver, you must acquaint your co-passenger with some basic riding rules. One of them is not to lean backward. This is because when he/she does so, the weight shifts backward, and it poses difficulty for the rider while turning sharp corners. This increases the chances of an accident.
At the same time, ask your pillion rider not to dismount the bike unless it is completely at halt, with both your feet firmly on the ground. Also, make sure your pillion knows the location of the hot exhaust. There have been cases in the past, when a trip has been marred due to burns suffered by the co-passenger as a result of putting his/her foot on the exhaust.
Ride Slowly
Always ride within the permissible limits to give your pillion a sense of comfort and safety during the ride. Give your co-rider the chance to get used to the ride and accelerate only when he/she feels comfortable. At the same time, it’s a good idea to give some sort of an indication to the pillion before accelerating.
Also, be smooth while changing gears to prevent helmet-bumps. Note, that when you accelerate, your pillion becomes tense and tends to move forward. A sudden dip in clutch may propel him forward due to inertia, which may result in a helmet-bump.
Check Suspension Adjustment of Your Two-wheeler
Suspension for most bikes is set for a standard rider, which varies across bikes. However, it all changes significantly with a pillion rider since the bike has to carry a greater load. Also, a co-passenger results in a higher centre of gravity that may upset the handling.
Therefore, it’s essential for you to check for the suspension adjustment of your bike before you mount a pillion rider. Fitting an adjustable rear shock can help you get the right adjustment to ride with a pillion rider.
While these tips will ensure the safety of your pillion rider, make sure to avail a two wheeler insurance policy to deal with the financial setback in case of an untoward incident.
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