Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May is a national initiative <\/a>aimed at getting motorists and motorcyclists to “share the road” with each other, according to the Washington State Patrol.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nMotorcycles are vehicles with the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle on the roadway.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the weather improves, more and more motorcyclists are hitting the roads,\u201d said State Patrol Lt. Kandi Patrick. \u201cAnd 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 \u2018share the road.\u2019 A motorcycle is one of the smallest vehicles on our roads, often hidden in a car or truck\u2019s blind spot. Every driver needs to aggressively look for them before changing lanes or merging with traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Helpful tips for drivers to keep motorcyclists safe on our roadways.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Remember, a motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width\u2014never try to share a lane.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Perform a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or exiting a lane of traffic, and at intersections.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Don\u2019t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a mo\u00adtorcycle \u2013 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Allow more following distance – three or four sec\u00adonds – 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Never drive while distracted.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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