What action should be taken before changing lanes on a motorcycle?

Before changing lanes on a motorcycle, checking your mirrors and looking over your shoulder is crucial for ensuring your safety. This action allows you to be fully aware of your surroundings, including any vehicles that may be in your blind spots. Motorcycles are smaller than cars, which means they can often be harder to spot, making it even more essential to physically check for other vehicles before making a move.

While signaling your intention to change lanes is also important for communicating with other drivers, it is only effective if you are aware of your surroundings first. Accelerating to avoid other vehicles is not a safe or recommended practice, as it can lead to loss of control or collisions. Looking straight ahead does not give you the necessary information about other vehicles around you, which is vital for safe lane changes. Therefore, checking mirrors combined with looking over your shoulder is the most comprehensive method to ensure safety before making a lane change on a motorcycle.