Motorcycle safety: Experts offer advice on staying protected while riding

With clear skies and warm weather encouraging motorcycle enthusiasts to hit the roadway, experts are advising drivers and motorcyclists to practice safety when these bikes are on the roadways.

As a series of fatal motorcycle crashes have occurred in Beaver County over the past few weeks, motorcyclists in the area are being encouraged to remember safe driving tips and to follow the laws of the road.

By ensuring motorcyclists can prevent serious injuries to themselves and others, these drivers can prevent potentially fatal crashes and ensure they stay out of harm's way when riding their bikes, experts say.

Tips for staying safe on motorcycles

When operating motorcycles, experts stress safety as a priority due to the exposed nature of drivers and passengers on these bikes and the increased danger of crashing.

Crash numbers show that these concerns from experts are justified: according to PennDOT, the total number of motorcycle incidents has continued to rise each year since 2018. The total number of motorcycle incidents rose by 14.1% in 2020, with a total of 3,398 motorcycle crashes. Throughout the year, fatal crashes also increased by 22.9% and claimed 215 lives.

Many of these accidents are the result of reckless driving or speeding, causing motorcyclists to lose control of their vehicles or hit other drivers. PennDOT says 96% of fatal motorcycle crashes in the United States are the result of the motorcycle striking another vehicle, with 77% of multi-vehicle crashes occurring in the 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 o’clock positions of the motorcycle.

In Beaver County, multiple accidents have occurred over the past month and took the lives of residents in the area. On July 21, Hopewell residents Christian Tyler McKenzie, 23, and Josiah Hufnagel, 24, both sustained fatal injuries in separate motorcycle crashes in the township. That same day, Shawn Grimm, 62, of Beaver Falls, was killed in a collision with a car along Ohio River Boulevard in Glen Osborne, Allegheny County.

To prevent similar accidents from happening, motorcyclists should follow safety tips before they ever sit down on the motorcycle. Before getting on their bikes, drivers should ensure that everything on their motorcycle works properly and everything is ready for traveling on the road.

"If you're a motorcyclist, there are things you want to do to make sure your bike is working properly," said Lynda Lambert, safety advisor for AAA East Central. "Before you ride, always check your tire pressure and tread depth. Make sure brakes, headlights and signal indicators are working properly."

Similar to driving cars on the road, motorcycles do require a license to operate and this Class M license is a separate certification from a standard driver's license. In Pennsylvania, drivers are required to take a vision test and motorcycle knowledge test to obtain a learner's permit. This permit only allows drivers to operate motorcycles from sunrise to sunset and must be under the supervision of another individual with a valid Class M license.

After training with this permit, drivers must pass an on-cycle test at a PennDOT Driving License Center or pass the final test in the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program. While there is a lot of work to get certified to ride a motorcycle, it is also important to receive this training and be properly prepared for this unique experience on the road.

"There's an interesting statistic from NHTSA: 36% of motorcycle operators who were involved in fatal crashes in 2020 were riding without a valid motorcycle license," Lambert said. "This would lead you to believe that they had not had the proper training."

While they aren't required for all drivers, wearing helmets for extra protection for head safety is always a good idea and can prevent potentially fatal head injuries. In Pennsylvania, all riders under 21 and drivers with less than 2 years of driving experience are legally required to wear headgear that meets the DOT standards for safety.

"Always ride with a helmet that meets the US Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard," Lambert said. "You can make sure that you're doing that by looking for the DOT symbol on the back of the helmet."

In addition to protecting the head, motorcyclists should consider wearing gear to protect other surfaces on their bodies while riding in the open air. Both drivers and passengers should consider wearing gloves, pants and jackets to cover exposed skin that could be injured in a potential crash or to avoid being hit by debris in the air.

While on the road, drivers should attempt to make themselves highly visible to alert other drivers to their presence at all times and ensure their intentions are clear.

"You want to be as visible as possible," Lambert said. "Keep your lights on, wear bright colors, even during the daytime, and always position yourself in a lane where drivers can see you. Follow all the traffic laws and always use your turn signals. It's a good idea to combine hand signals with turn signals when you can to make sure other drivers are clear about your intentions."

Like all motor vehicles, those operating motorcycles should never drive when impaired or under the influence of alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 27% of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes around the United States were under the influence of alcohol. These crashes claimed the lives of 1,436 motorcyclists nationwide.

Ways for other motorists to keep motorcyclists safe

While personal safety should always be a priority for those driving motorcycles, other drivers should look out for those on bikes while traveling as well.

While a motorcycle must follow all the same traffic laws that other drivers follow on the road, having less protection and a smaller size means that other drivers pose a higher risk to motorcyclists when distracted driving is occurring on the road. To protect these vulnerable drivers, all motorists should be aware of where these motorcycles are on the road and keep an eye on where the smaller vehicles are at all times.

"As a driver, you want to check your mirrors and blind spots for motorcyclists before you enter or leave lanes of traffic and always at intersections," Lambert said. "Most of the multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur when an automobile driver simply did not see the motorcyclist."

Another way to protect these motorcyclists is for drivers to add space to their following distance, adding a larger gap between the car and the bike. Under no circumstances should a car be next to a motorcycle in a lane or intentionally add pressure to motorcyclists driving on the road.

"Always increase your following distance behind motorcycles and provide time to maneuver or stop in an emergency," Lambert said. "That rule applies when you're driving a car or a motorcycle. You never want to share a lane with motorcyclists, they have the same right to lanes as automobiles."

While motorcyclists should focus on visibility, it is always good practice for vehicles to do the same when traveling on the roadway. By clearly signaling and giving extra time for motorcyclists to react to those in front of them, drivers can protect these individuals and potentially save lives on the roadway.

"You want to signal before changing lanes or merging with traffic," Lambert said. "And even when you do signal, allow enough time to determine a motorcyclist's intention before you move forward."

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Safety experts offer motorcyclists advice on staying safe while riding