11.1 Collision Avoidance: Braking, Swerving, and Accelerating
Key Takeaways
- When a collision is imminent, you have three options: brake hard, swerve, or accelerate — and you must commit to one rather than hesitate
- ICBC calls maximum braking threshold braking: apply both brakes smoothly and build pressure until the wheels are almost locked, with the motorcycle upright and straight — if a tire whines or shudders, ease up
- A swerve is two separate steering inputs: press the handgrip to lean into the swerve, then press the opposite handgrip to straighten back to your original path
- Separate braking from swerving — brake before or after the swerve, never while swerving, because braking mid-swerve can exceed available traction and cause a fall
- With ABS, apply continuous firm pressure to both brakes and never release and reapply; ABS helps prevent lock-up on wet and slippery surfaces but does not always shorten stopping distance, can lengthen it on gravel, and does not let you brake and steer at once
Emergencies on a motorcycle leave you fractions of a second to respond. Learn to Ride Smart frames every emergency around a simple idea: decide on one action and commit to it. Hesitation — half-braking, half-swerving — uses up the time and traction you need to survive.
The Three Avoidance Options
When something appears in your path, you generally have three ways out:
- Brake hard — the best choice when you have a clear, straight stopping zone ahead and the obstacle is roughly in line with your path.
- Swerve — the best choice when you cannot stop in time but have open space beside the obstacle.
- Accelerate — the best choice when the hazard is behind you or beside you and speed is the safest way out (for example, a vehicle drifting into your lane from the side that you can outrun).
The key is to pick one. Trying to combine hard braking with a swerve is the single most common cause of riders going down in emergencies.
Quick and Progressive Braking
Maximum braking on a motorcycle means using both brakes with a firm, progressive squeeze — not a grab. The front brake is the most powerful and provides about 70 per cent of your stopping power; the rear brake adds stability and shortens the distance.
ICBC calls the technique threshold braking: apply both brakes smoothly and build pressure quickly until the wheels are almost — but not quite — locked. Too much brake, or a less-than-ideal surface, and you skid instead. The warning sign is audible and physical: if either tire starts to whine or shudder under braking, ease up — you are about to lock that wheel.
Technique
- Keep the motorcycle upright and the wheels straight. Braking while leaned over or turned reduces available traction dramatically.
- Squeeze the front lever progressively. A sudden grab transfers weight too fast and can lock the front wheel, which almost always ends in a fall.
- Press the rear pedal firmly but smoothly. The rear wheel locks more easily than the front because weight shifts forward under braking.
- Do not lock the wheels. If you do lock up, ease pressure just enough to let the wheel roll again, then re-apply. A locked front wheel cannot steer.
- Keep your eyes up and look where you want to go, not at the obstacle. Target fixation pulls you toward what you stare at.
- Brake upright and straight. ICBC's rule is that the best time to brake is with the motorcycle upright, moving in a straight line, and your eyes looking ahead. Plan your braking so you avoid braking in a curve; if you must, brake cautiously and smoothly.
Avoiding a skid
Skids are a major cause of motorcycle crashes, and they all come from the same source: running out of traction. ICBC's three rules are don't brake with too much force, don't accelerate suddenly, and don't turn too sharply. It is far easier to avoid a skid than to recover from one.
If Your Motorcycle Has ABS
Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) prevent wheel lock-up under hard braking by rapidly releasing and reapplying brake pressure. If your bike is ABS-equipped:
- Apply continuous, firm, hard pressure to both the front lever and the rear pedal. The computerised sensors release and reapply the brakes for you.
- Do not pump or release. Releasing and reapplying turns the system off. Brake noise and shudder are normal — do not be alarmed by them.
- ABS does not let you ride faster, and it does not always let you stop sooner. ICBC is explicit: on some surfaces, such as gravel, the braking distance may actually be longer with ABS.
- Motorcycle ABS is not car ABS. Unlike a car, a motorcycle with ABS does not let you brake and steer at the same time. What ABS reliably does is help prevent the wheels locking on wet and slippery surfaces.
- Practise it. ICBC suggests learning the feel in a safe, flat, dry, debris-free lot: accelerate to about 30 km/h, then brake hard enough with both brakes for the ABS to engage. Check your owner's manual for the correct technique for your motorcycle.
Swerving
A swerve is two separate steering inputs: one to lean the bike away from the obstacle, and a second to bring it back upright on your original path. It is not a gentle weave or a body lean — it is a deliberate counter-steered press on the handgrips.
Step by Step
ICBC's three steps are:
- Look in the direction you want to go. Not at the obstacle — looking down at it causes target fixation.
- Apply firm pressure to the handlebar on the side you intend to turn toward. To swerve right, press the right grip; the motorcycle leans right and arcs right.
- Press the other handlebar once you have cleared the hazard, to return to your original direction of travel.
And the accompanying warning: avoid braking while steering abruptly — it can cause you to skid and fall. Brake before the swerve (to slow to a speed you can swerve at) or after it, once the motorcycle is upright again.
Why Two Inputs?
A motorcycle stays leaned only while you hold pressure on the grip. If you press once and freeze, the bike keeps turning tighter. The second press is what returns you to a straight line. Riders who forget the second press end up drifting off the road on the far side of their swerve.
Accelerating Out of Danger
Acceleration is the right answer when the threat is behind or beside you and the path ahead is clear — for example, a vehicle merging into your lane from the left when the right lane is occupied. In that case, braking would put you directly in the merging vehicle's path.
- Roll on the throttle smoothly and firmly.
- Use your lane position to open space as you accelerate.
- Do not over-accelerate into a worse situation. Speed must serve an escape route, not just panic.
The Decision: Brake or Swerve?
Use this flow when a hazard appears in your path.
flowchart TD
A["Hazard appears in your path"] --> B{"Enough distance<br/>to stop before it?"}
B -->|"Yes"| C["Brake hard —<br/>both brakes, progressive,<br/>wheels straight"]
B -->|"No"| D{"Open space<br/>to the side?"}
D -->|"Yes"| E["Swerve —<br/>press, then press back,<br/>no braking mid-swerve"]
D -->|"No"| F{"Hazard beside or behind,<br/>clear path ahead?"}
F -->|"Yes"| G["Accelerate out<br/>of the danger zone"]
F -->|"No"| H["Brake as hard as possible<br/>and brace for impact"]
Key Takeaways
- Pick one avoidance action and commit. Half-braking and half-swerving wastes both time and traction.
- Progressive braking = both brakes, firm squeeze, wheels straight, never locked.
- A swerve is two presses — one to lean in, one to straighten back.
- Never brake while swerving. Brake before or after, never during.
- ABS-equipped riders: hold steady pressure and let the system work.
You are riding straight at 50 km/h when a car pulls out of a side street 20 metres ahead. You have room to stop. What is the best response?
You cannot stop in time for a pothole and decide to swerve around it. Which sequence is correct?
Which statement about ABS on a motorcycle matches what Learn to Ride Smart says?