As Charleston motorcycle accident lawyers, we encourage our clients to resume riding as soon as they feel comfortable after an accident. It’s normal to be anxious or afraid of the bike after an injury, but the sooner you get back in the saddle, the sooner you put the motorcycle accident behind you. After helping many clients go back to riding, we’ve found a few tips that really help.

Put the accident or injury in perspective.

How long have you ridden without an injury or accident?

Thousands of miles? Tens of thousands of miles? More?

How many years have you ridden injury- and accident-free?

When you start thinking of your riding by the numbers, you’ll see that while the injury was a significant event at that point in time, in the grand scheme of things it’s not as significant as you thought it was.

Think about what you could have done differently, if anything.

Was the injury your fault, or someone else’s? If it was yours, think about what you could change to reduce your risk in the future. Usually one tweak will make a tremendous difference. If you were lane splitting, perhaps you’ll stop or do it only in specific circumstances. If you weren’t wearing a helmet, maybe now is the time to start.

And sometimes an accident is just that—an accident. Don’t let what happened in a single moment stop you from doing something you enjoy.

Consider a new level of protection and perhaps a safety class.

Helmets, leather, and other protective gear reduce your chances of injury, but are a choice only you can make. For some, this gear is uncomfortable, while others feel it hampers their movement or ability to ride. A safety class will increase your confidence and remind you that while biking can be dangerous, you do have some control over what happens to you.

Take it slow.

If you’re feeling nervous about riding, start easy.  Ride on the back of someone else’s bike, or cruise around your neighborhood before taking your bike on the highway. Ride alone for a while before taking on passengers, or ride during periods of less traffic. You’ll build your confidence back in no time—just take your time and ease back into it.

Remember: the longer you stay off your bike, the harder it will be to get back on. Your bike is the same machine you happily rode before the injury, and it has many miles left on it.

Do what you love and enjoy your life—get back in the saddle and ride!

What are your thoughts and advice for getting back on a bike after a motorcycle injury?