I found out most Canadian riders don't wear high-vis gear and it surprised me

I was reading through the Transport Canada stats last night and apparently only about 23% of motorcycle riders in Ontario wear high-visibility clothing on a regular basis. I always figured it was way more common up here given our weather and road conditions. The stat came from a 2023 report on motorcycle safety that they put out, and it really made me rethink my own setup. I know a lot of people think hi-vis looks dorky, but with those numbers it feels like we're all taking a huge unnecessary risk. Has anyone else run across surprising data like this that changed how they ride?

2 comments

2 Comments

sageburns1mo ago

Did you catch that Transport Canada report about how hi-vis actually reduces accident rates by like 37% in low light? I read somewhere that a lot of riders skip it because they think black leather looks cooler, but that stat made me switch to a yellow vest real quick. Seems like a no-brainer when your odds of getting seen go up that much.

laura_white991mo ago

Respectfully, I gotta push back on this one a little. Those stats always feel a bit cherry-picked to me - like sure, if you're riding in fog or at dusk that hi-vis helps, but most accidents happen in broad daylight where a bright vest isn't gonna save you from someone running a red light. Plus I've seen guys in full yellow gear still get sideswiped, so I'm not convinced it's the magic bullet people make it out to be. I'd rather spend my money on a good helmet and defensive riding course.