Summer in Utah is a wonderful time, especially if you own a motorcycle. Getting out on the road on your motorcycle and taking in Utah's landscape is a one of a kind experience.
Unfortunately, far too many of these enjoyable motorcycle rides to a tragic ending. Roads across the United States see around 7.7 million motorcycles every year. Sadly, nearly 2 percent, or 106,000 of those riders have been involved in an accident.
Without the safety of a sound structure and multiple airbags, motorcycle riders are obviously more vulnerable to serious injury and death when involved in an accident. And the fact that they are not nearly as big as a car, making them more susceptible to being involved in an accident.
In fact, motorcyclists are 39 times more likely to die and eight times more likely to be injured in an accident than they would have been had they been a passenger car. 2009 saw nearly 4,500 motorcycle deaths. Of those who died in 2009, one-third were speeding.
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Lacking the standard features found on cars today, motorcycle safety is just as much a responsibility for other drivers as it is for motorcyclists themselves. It is estimated that 70 percent of mistakes that lead to accidents involving motorcycles are due to the fact that motorists did not see the motorcycle. For motorcyclists, we suggest the following tips:
- Be Clearly Visible.
- Be Vigilant.
- Wear The Right Clothing and Protective Equipment.
As for automobile drivers, the biggest piece of advice for promoting motorcycle safety is simply keeping an eye out for motorcycles. Check all blind spots before changing lanes. Be sure to look twice. Motorcycles are small and easy to miss, so double checking and ensuring you know where all vehicles are, including motorcycle is critical.
There is no reason that cars and motorcycles cannot share the road. And if drivers and riders both make conscious efforts to be aware of one another, we can make the roads safer for everyone and reduce the number of motorcycle fatalities.
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