How can a rider reduce the risk of a crash due to blind spots?

Making head checks before changing lanes is essential for a rider to reduce the risk of a crash due to blind spots. Blind spots are areas around the vehicle that are not visible through mirrors, and motorcycles have particularly small profile areas that can easily be missed by drivers, especially in larger vehicles. By performing head checks, a rider turns their head to look over their shoulder, ensuring that they can see any vehicles or obstacles that may be in their blind spot. This simple but effective action allows a rider to make informed decisions and enhance their situational awareness, greatly reducing the chance of an accident when changing lanes.

The other choices do not contribute to safety in the same way. Changing lanes without looking increases the likelihood of a collision because the rider might not be aware of surrounding traffic. Always riding in the left lane does not guarantee safety as it does not account for the potential presence of vehicles in adjacent lanes. Lastly, staying in the center of the lane can help with stability and visibility but does not address the need to check for oncoming threats in blind spots before making lane changes.