Warmer weather and sunny days usually bring with them more outdoor activities as people emerge from their homes after a long, cold winter. Along with those sun worshipers and water sport enthusiasts are those dedicated motorcyclists and their riders who have yearned to feel the rumble of powerful motors and the feel of warm wind swirling all around them as they hit a smooth stretch of roadway. The weather brings out the motorcyclists but it is the road that beckons them to ride.

The United States House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a resolution April 2 supporting the goals of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May. Key messages of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month encourage riders to get trained and licensed, to always wear protective gear, to never drink and ride, and to ride within their limits. Motorists are also beckoned to be aware of two-wheel traffic and look out for riders (research shows auto drivers are at fault in approximately two thirds of fatal car/motorcycle crashes). The resolution, H. Res. 269, introduced by Reps. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and Michael Burgess, R-Texas, is similar to one unanimously passed by the full House last year.

May has long been designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The messages for all road users are especially timely as motorcyclists nationwide gear up for the upcoming riding season. Although May is “Motorcycle Safety Month“, both car and motorcycle operators share the responsibility to “see and be seen” and use good common sense in operating their vehicles each and every month. Share the road

Here are several tips for drivers to help keep motorcyclists safe on our roadways:
1. Remember the motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle on the roadway. Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width ,never try to share a lane
2. Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections
3. Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic
4. 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
5. 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. And don’t tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.

Motorcyclists can increase their safety by:

The number 1 tip anyone can give to a rider or driver is to BE AWARE. It does not matter if you re in a car or on a bike if you are aware of what is going on around you, you will be better prepared to react quickly if needed.

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