Each year, May is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The Ohio State Highway Patrol and motorcycle organizations across the country conduct a variety of activities to promote the importance of motorist awareness and sharing the road with motorcyclists.
To kick-off Motorcycle Awareness Month, the Patrol and American Motorcyclist
Association (AMA) are continuing their Ride Smart. Drive Smart. safety education
partnership for a third riding season.
Throughout the spring and summer, the Patrol will provide a series of motorcycle
safety tips from the AMA to help make it a safe and enjoyable motorcycle riding
season in Ohio. Three key safety messages stressed through the program will
be:
• Ride trained/Ride licensed – ensuring riders have a valid motorcycle endorsement,
quality motorcycle training, proper safety equipment, and resources are provided
to find examination stations.
• Ride sober – incorporating the AMA’s national Ride Straight program.
• Driver Awareness- the importance of drivers being aware of motorcyclists.
Emphasis on motorcycle safety is important when considering in 2006 there were
4,232 crashes involving motorcycles, which included 157 motorcyclist fatalities
accounting for almost 13 percent of the state’s traffic fatalities for the year.
Through a combination of focused enforcement, including the Patrol’s new Motorcycle
Unit, and public awareness programs, motorcycle fatalities decreased by nearly
9 percent in Ohio last year.
Ohio is among the top five states with the highest number of motorcycle riders in the nation, and motorcycle sales are growing at about 16% annually. Along with the increase of motorcycle riders comes the increased need for motorcycle awareness and safety education.
As a motorist, there are some steps to become more aware of motorcyclists.
• Respect the motorcyclist:
Remember the motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the privileges of any vehicle
on the roadway. Give the motorcyclist a full lane of travel.
• Look out: Look for the motorcyclist on the highway, at intersections, when a motorcyclist may be making a left turn, and when a motorcyclist may be changing lanes. Clearly signal your intentions.
• Anticipate a motorcyclist's maneuver:
Obstructions (debris, potholes, etc.) that you may ignore or not notice can
be deadly for a motorcyclist. Predict evasive actions.
• Allow plenty of space:
Don't follow a motorcycle too closely. Allow enough room for the motorcyclist
to take evasive actions.
To view additional information and statistics about motorcycles visit the Ohio
State Highway Patrol website at www.statepatrol.ohio.gov. A “pin map” shows
fatal motorcycle crashes in 2006. Differing colors for pins will represent single-unit
crashes, multi-unit crashes in which a motorcycle driver was at fault, and multi-unit
crashes in which motorcycle drivers were not at fault.
For motorcycle training opportunities, contact your state motorcycle safety
administrator at 1-800-83-RIDER, or Governors' Highway Safety Representative
(listed in the State and Regional Resources Catalog). Or go to www.motorcycle.ohio.gov
to find out about Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month activities near you.
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a non-profit organization with more than 282,000
members. The Association's purpose is to pursue, protect and promote the interests
of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information,
visit the AMA Web site at www.AMADirectlink.com, or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN.
# # #