State governments, law enforcement and organizations across the nation are joining the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind vehicle drivers and motorcyclists to share the road safely during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
The awareness campaign aims to educate vehicle drivers and motorcyclists on how to be more aware of each other, to create safer roads and save lives.
In 2016, there were 5,286 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes in the U.S., a five percent increase from 2015 (5,029). These deaths accounted for 14 percent of the total highway fatalities.
Texas is just one state running a “Share the Road” campaign to coincide with the awareness month. Across the state, road crashes killed 501 motorcyclists and injured another 2,101 last year.
“Nobody wants to take a life in a crash or lose a loved one,” said Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Executive Director James Bass. “Motorcycles are small, they’re hard to see, and it can be difficult to judge their speed and distance. That’s why it’s critical that drivers take extra precautions to look twice for motorcycles, especially at intersections.”
TxDOT’s “Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign urges drivers to:
- Look twice for motorcycles, especially at intersections
- Always assume motorcycles are closer than they appear
- Avoid turning in front of an oncoming motorcycle
- Use turn signals and check blind spots before changing lanes
- Avoid following a motorcycle too closely
- Give motorcyclists a full lane
- Obey posted speed limits
