AUSTIN – On average, a motorcyclist dies in a crash on Texas roads every day. To mark Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May – and to remember the 455 motorcyclists lost in crashes last year – the Texas Department of Transportation is launching its “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign.
“Motorcycles can be difficult to see so it’s important for drivers to look twice, especially before turning at intersections or changing lanes,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “Motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable because they don’t have seat belts, airbags and surrounding steel doors to protect them.”
Motorcyclists are nearly five times more likely than car or truck occupants to be injured in a crash and 26 times more likely to be killed. Besides last year’s 455 fatalities, another 1,867 motorcyclists were seriously injured in 2015. About half of fatal motorcycle crashes result from a collision with a car or truck. Drivers cite not seeing the motorcycle or misjudging how fast it is traveling as the reason for the collision.
Each year at the end of April, many Texas cities issue proclamations that observe May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. During this period, TxDOT’s “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles”campaign will make stops at baseball games and festivals in Texas communities where guests can participate in activities that highlight motorcycle safety. The campaign reminds drivers to:
- Look twice for motorcycles, especially at intersections.
- Use turn signals when changing lanes.
- Check your mirrors before changing lanes.
- Don’t follow a motorcycle too closely.
- Always assume motorcycles are closer than they appear.
