Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May is a national initiative aimed at getting motorists and motorcyclists to “share the road” with each other, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Motorcycles are vehicles with the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle on the roadway.
“As the weather improves, more and more motorcyclists are hitting the roads,” said State Patrol Lt. Kandi Patrick. “And with that in mind, pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers of all vehicles, including SUVs, passenger cars and trucks, need to be extra attentive and make sure they ‘share the road.’ A motorcycle is one of the smallest vehicles on our roads, often hidden in a car or truck’s blind spot. Every driver needs to aggressively look for them before changing lanes or merging with traffic.”
Motorcyclist fatalities nationwide increased slightly in 2010 to 4,502, accounting for 14 percent of total fatalities for the year. This increase in motorcycle fatalities for the year resumes the unfortunate overall increasing trend over the last 13 years, an upward trend that saw only a single one-year decline in 2009, when 4,462 motorcyclists were killed. However, the greatest decrease in the estimated number of injured people is among motorcyclists, with an 8.9 percent decrease.
Helpful tips for drivers to keep motorcyclists safe on our roadways.
• Remember, a motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle.
• Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width—never try to share a lane.
• Perform a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or exiting a lane of traffic, and at intersections.
• Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a motorcycle – motorcycle signals are often not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.
• Allow more following distance – three or four seconds – when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
• Never drive while distracted.
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