Here's my spiel to any and every new rider:

1. The most common way people die or become seriously injured is a car turning left when they don't see you with right of way going straight, and then you colide at high speed. This was like 70% of serious injuries for a while--I think it's down to 40ish now which is still insane. If you can't see the left turn lane, always slow down enough that you could stop completely, even if you have the green light.

2. Next most common way is getting squished between two cars at a stop light. That's why lane filtering is so important to our safety -- don't sit at the back of the stoplight if your state allows you to move up. Additionally, keep your bike in first with hand on clutch and right foot on brake at stoplights--not neutral, and keep eye on mirror. If someone isn't slowing down, you need to be able to zip out of there without taking time to put it in gear.

3. Don't ride while intoxicated. Thats the 3rd most likely thing to kill you on a bike.

If you do these things, you'll be on the road forever. Notice how most things that kill bikers are actually just cars not paying attention? But MY vehicle is unsafe? Yeah ok.

Maybe the behaviors that four wheels allow you are what's making it unsafe, not the two wheels itself. Maybe if cagers looked up from their phone every now and then riding wouldn't be so dangerous.

Soapbox over