"Share the Road" Motorcycle Safety Facts

"Share the Road” -- Motorcyclists Are at Risk from Other Drivers.

• With warmer weather here, more motorcycles are back out on the road – and the drivers of passenger vehicles need to be alert.

• Motorcycles are small and may be difficult for drivers of other vehicles to see.

• Motorcycles have a much smaller profile than other vehicles. This can make it difficult to judge the speed and distance of an approaching motorcycle.

• After a crash, the drivers of other vehicles involved often say they never saw the motorcyclist and were unable to respond in time.

• In the event of a crash, a motorcyclist is much more vulnerable and in much greater danger physically than are other vehicle drivers.

• NHTSA estimates that 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20 percent of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in the vehicle.

• In fact, per vehicle mile traveled, NHTSA estimates that in 2005, motorcyclists were about 37 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a traffic crash.

“Share the Road” -- Motorcyclist Deaths are Rising.

• In 2005, motorcycle rider fatalities increased for the 8th straight year.

• During 2005, 4,553 motorcyclists lost their lives in fatal highway crashes.

• That means motorcycle riders were involved in more than 1 out of 10 of all U.S. road fatalities during 2005.

• Fifty-six percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes in 2005 involved another vehicle in addition to the motorcycle in the crash.

• In 2005, 91 percent of the motorcycle operator fatalities in two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle occurred on non-interstate roadways.

• In 2005, 50 percent of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died were intersection crashes.

• In the motorcycle crashes involving another motor vehicle, in nearly 40 percent the passenger vehicle was turning left in front of an oncoming motorcyclist.

“Share the Road” – May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

• Motorcycles are vehicles with the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle on the roadway. Drivers of other passenger vehicles should always remember to follow these steps to help keep motorcyclists safe:

o Allow a motorcyclist the full lane width. Although it may seem as though there is enough room in a traffic lane for both an automobile and a motorcycle, the motorcycle needs the full room to ma¬neuver safely. Do not share the lane.

o Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic. This allows the mo¬torcyclist to anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position.

o Remember that motorcyclists are often hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot or missed in a quick look due to their smaller size. Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections.

o Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a mo¬torcycle – motorcycle signals usually are not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.

o Remember that road conditions which are minor annoyances to passenger vehicles pose major hazards to motor¬cyclists. Be aware that motorcyclists may need to change speed or adjust their position within a lane suddenly in reaction to road and traffic conditions such as potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings, and grooved pavement.

o Allow more following distance, three or four sec¬onds, when following a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emer¬gency. And don’t tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.

• Motorcyclists have responsibilities, too, by following the rules of the roadway, being alert to other drivers, and always wearing protective gear.

• But too often, in a crash, the drivers of other vehicles involved say they never saw the motorcyclist and failed to respond in time. This is no excuse. Too many lives are being lost.

• Our message to all drivers is: Help make this the first year in recent years when motorcycle fatalities do not increase. “Share the Road” with motorcycles.

Special Thanks Goes Out to Our Speakers:

Ed Andros, American Bikers Active Toward Education (ABATE)

Terrance Schiavone, Southeast Regional Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

State Senator Jeff Mullis, District 53

Chad Burns, Director of the DDS Motorcycle Safety Program

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Proclamation Signing--April 25, 2007 at the Georgia State Capitol

On behalf of the citizens of Georgia, Governor Sonny Perdue has proclaimed May 2007 as Motorcycle Awareness Month to remind motorists to always be aware of motorcycles. With warmer weather here, more motorcycles are back on the roads, so drivers of passenger vehicles need to be extra alert. Motorcycles are easily overlooked in the traffic flow due to their smaller size. In 2005, Georgia experienced its highest ever number of motorcycle fatalities.

“Thousands of Georgia citizens enjoy riding motorcycles, said Director Bob Dallas of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. “So we encourage all Georgia drivers to be cautious and observe these smaller vehicles as they return to Georgia’s roads this spring. In fact, most motorcycle crashes occur during daylight hours.”

The awareness campaign is jointly promoted by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) and ABATE of Georgia (American Bikers Active Toward Education). With the participation of other state agencies, traffic safety organizations, law enforcement departments and rider groups, the objective of the Motorcycle Safety Awareness campaign is to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities on our roadways.

“All these groups are concerned with creating a safer riding environment because during recent years, Georgia has experienced a steady increase in fatal motorcycle crashes,” says GOHS Director Bob Dallas. In 2005 alone, 144 motorcyclists died on Georgia roads. Another 2,795 were injured.

“So the target audience of our awareness campaign includes both vehicle drivers and motorcycle operators,” says GOHS Director Dallas. “Our principle concerns are to increase driver recognition of motorcyclists in traffic, while at the same time encouraging motorcyclists to engage in the overall safe operation of their motorcycles.” The number of Georgia crashes in 2005 totaled 4,034.

Motorists are encouraged to always be aware of motorcycles; especially at intersections, when performing lane changes, or while passing other vehicles. “Motorists need to be especially alert when making a left turn to insure that a motorcycle is not coming straight through the intersection,” says Director Dallas.

Highway safety officials and Georgia motorcyclists ask that all highway users get in the habit of looking for motorcycles as they drive, not just during the safety awareness month, but throughout the entire year. Motorists also need to share the road, remembering that a motorcycle is entitled to a full lane. Keeping a safe distance from the motorcycle allows the motorcycle operator the opportunity to maneuver the motorcycle to avoid road hazards or other dangerous traffic conditions.

Over two-thirds of car-motorcycle crashes are caused by drivers of other motor vehicles, not by motorcyclists. The other driver either does not see the oncoming motorcyclist at all, or does not see the motorcyclist in time to avoid a crash.

So motorcyclists should always operate in a defensive mode, within the rules of the road, and be constantly prepared to take evasive action if necessary. Riders should remember they have an equal share of safety responsibility on the road and that includes being attired with proper protective riding apparel, including a DOT-rated motorcycle safety helmet.

Operators are encouraged to enroll in the Motorcycle Safety Foundation training offered through the Georgia Department of Driver Services. It’s important both legally and for safety purposes that every rider has a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license and that motorcycles are properly licensed.

Motorcyclists must keep in mind that weather conditions, road surfaces and fatigue pose greater problems to them than to other motorists. Motorcycles should be kept in good operating condition using safety and maintenance checks found in the owner’s manual.

“And it just make sense that motorcycle operators should keep themselves alert and in optimum highway condition as well,“ says GOHS Director Dallas. “That’s why motorcyclists should avoid the use of alcoholic beverages before and during the operation of the motorcycle. There’s an abnormally high occurrence of crashes, death and injury among motorcyclists when alcohol or drugs are added to the equation.”

To receive free brochures about “What You Need to Know About Motorcycle Safety” visit the GOHS Safety Store at www.gahighwaysafety.org/gohsstore. For more information about Georgia’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness Program and how to help drivers and riders be more aware of each other while traveling in Georgia, contact GOHS Program Planner Fred Huff at 404-656-6996.