National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month: Riders, drivers working together to save lives

Did you know that accidents involving motorcycles account for nearly 15 percent of all traffic fatalities, but motorcyclists make up just 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the Unites States?

That’s according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In fact, more than 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2016 – a 6 percent increase from 2015. And over 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes.

May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, which reminds drivers to share the road with motorcyclists. At the same time, this time of year gives us all a chance to make sure motorcyclists and drivers stay safe on the road.

In California, this is especially important, as the state has more than 900,000 registered motorcycles on our roads. Sadly, in 2016, 560 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle crashes in California, which was an 11 percent increase from 2015. More than 14,400 motorcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes.

Locally, the Bakersfield Police Department in May is joining other law enforcement departments and organizations throughout the state to step up enforcement, as well as increasing awareness efforts to lower motorcycle deaths and injuries.

“Officers will have a special emphasis this month on enforcing all traffic violations by both drivers and cyclist deploying ‘saturation patrols’ throughout the month of May,” according to the department.

To help drivers and motorcyclists alike on the road, Bakersfield Police Department shared the following tips to prevent motorcycle-related collisions.

DRIVERS

• Always us a turn signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful. Motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding.
• Stay alert. Check all mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• Follow at a safe distance when behind a motorcycle. This gives them more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.
• Motorcyclists can increase their safety by following these steps:

MOTORCYCLISTS

• Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear.
• Ride safely when lane sharing and always proceed at safe speeds.
• Get properly licensed, and obey all traffic laws.
• Use turn signals at every lane change or turn.
• Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective tape to increase visibility.
• Ride safely when lane sharing and always proceed at safe speeds.
• Never ride distracted or impaired.

Lastly, the Office of Traffic Safety encourages all riders, new and experienced, to enroll in the California Motorcyclist Safety Program, which has training sites throughout the state. The program trains about 60,000 motorcyclists per year, and has trained more than 1.1 million motorcycle riders since it was developed in 1987. For more information, and to find a training site near you, visit californiamotorcyclist.com.

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If you or someone you know is injured in a motorcycle accident due to the fault of someone else, please contact the lawyers at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or visit the website chainlaw.com for more information.