Everytime you ride you should be prepared for the worst. I have been riding for roughly 18 years, have had 3 wrecks, 2 of them completely my fault as I was the only vehicle involved, and 1 where I got hit by a car. When I got hit by the car it was in my first 2 months of riding so I would bet that inexperience is what put me in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you ride responsibly and well within your limits you lower the chances of a serious accident exponentially. If you ride like you are Valentino Rossi everywhere you go, pushing the envelope every time the key is turned, you are flirting with disaster. Guage the risks you take, and always ride within 70 percent of your ability (be honest with yourself on that!!), follow the rules of "The Pace" (if you dont know what that is then try and get a copy) and save the real speed for the track. I personally have slowed to the point that I cant break 80 - 90 in turns anymore, and blind turns, well I am lucky to do 60, I am the guy that the group ends up waiting for, but with the guys I ride with that is completely ok with them. I have slowed a lot over time, not because my skills are worse, but actually my risk assesment is so much higher. Just remember the road isnt a race track and the chicken strips on my tires may be a sign not that I cant ride but maybe that I am just a lot more experienced.