Every May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) promotes Motorcycle Awareness Month, also known as Motorcycle Safety Month. The NHTSA started this initiative to educate the public on motorcycle safety and prevent injuries and deaths. It teaches both bikers and motorists the importance of driving safely and defensively to reduce the chances of a serious crash. 

If you’re a biker, we know you operate your motorcycle with utmost safety while also adopting appropriate protective gear. On the other hand, motorists need to be vigilant to avoid hitting riders. Motorcycles are far smaller than standard cars, so drivers need to operate their vehicles cautiously to ensure they never strike a vulnerable two-wheeler. 

Here’s what you need to know about Motorcycle Awareness Month and how to reduce your chances of suffering a serious collision. 

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Severe motorcycle accidents are a common reality both in Kentucky and nationwide. These accidents often cause serious or even fatal injuries to bikers, as motorcycles don’t provide the same bodily protection as standard passenger vehicles. 

The number of motorcycles on the road has increased significantly in the last 15 years, so it’s not surprising that there’s also been a steady rise in motorcycle accidents. There were 5,579 motorcyclist fatalities in 2020 alone, and 82,500 bikers suffered injuries. 

Further, although bikers only comprise around 5% of drivers, biker deaths account for around 13 to 14% of all traffic fatalities. This staggering statistic reveals how motorcyclists are far more likely to experience fatal injuries compared to others on the road. In fact, bikers are 35 times more likely to suffer from a fatal crash than other drivers. 

Because bikers are more susceptible to severe or fatal injuries in collisions, Kentucky riders need to operate their motorcycles with the utmost care and abide by all traffic laws and other motorists need to be cautious to be aware of their surroundings. 

Enhancing Motorcycle Safety

What makes motorcyclist fatalities all the more tragic is that these deaths are often entirely preventable. One simple step Kentucky bikers can take today to greatly reduce their risk of suffering fatal injuries is to equip themselves with sufficient protection.

The NHTSA reported that between 55 to 60% of all motorcyclists who died in Kentucky traffic accidents weren’t wearing helmets at the time. Kentucky doesn’t require riders over the age of 21 to wear these safety devices, but studies indicate wearing one provides additional and valuable protection.   However in Kentucky, a motorcyclist is not required to wear a helmet. 

Even a mild accident can cause a biker to hit their head, and lacking a helmet can result in a victim suffering from a catastrophic or fatal traumatic brain injury. For this reason, if wearing a helmet, you should  opt to wear a motorcycle helmet that’s certified by the Department of Transportation even though it’s not obligatory. 

You can protect yourself further by  wearing leather clothing, including boots, gloves, jackets, and pants. The reason why leather is important is because standard clothing doesn’t sufficiently protect riders from road burn. Leather is far more durable and protective, reducing your risk of suffering a serious injury in a collision. 

Additionally, you can wear a reflective vest or jacket over your leather to increase your visibility. That way, motorists will have an easier time spotting you on the road. 

While equipping yourself with protective and reflective clothing is not required, you can also utilize your riding habits to reduce your chances of causing a collision. 

When riding, make sure to always:

• Avoid distractions, especially texting
• Never ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Drive the speed limit
• Never lane split
• Inspect your motorcycle before riding
• Allow yourself plenty of stopping distance and never tailgate
• Utilize both brakes when stopping 
• Ride defensively and avoid aggressive maneuvers 

Safety Tips for Drivers

Of course, motorcyclists oftentimes are not to blame for car–motorcycle collisions. While bikers need to maintain safe riding maneuvers,automobile or truck drivers have a responsibility to avoid hitting motorcycles, especially when bikers have the right of way. A collision can be incredibly serious for either party involved, but, as we’ve discussed, bikers are far more likely to sustain catastrophic or fatal injuries. 

One of the main contributors to motorcycle accidents is car/truck drivers not expecting bikers on the road. Motorcycles are sometimes difficult to spot because of their smaller size, and motorists often fail to anticipate the presence of these vehicles. 

For instance, when you check your side mirror, it may take you an incredibly brief moment to register that there’s a full-size car in the adjacent lane. On the other hand, it may take you longer to note that there’s a motorcycle in the lane due to its smaller size. If you don’t expect motorcycles to be on the road, you might briefly check your mirror, fail to spot the biker, and mistakenly merge into their lane. Always be careful when merging, and always double-check your mirrors for bikers. 

Some other ways you can avoid causing a motorcycle accident include:

• Double-check your blind spots 
• Never drive while distracted
• Always use turn signals
• Be cognizant of motorcycles when turning 
• Give plenty of stopping distance between yourself and bikers
• Never encroach on a biker’s lane

Contact a Kentucky Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Motorcycle Awareness Month is a powerful reminder to drive carefully to avoid causing serious accidents and injuries. 

If you’ve suffered from a motorcycle crash, you may face overwhelming medical bills. Also, you might not be able to work while you recover, further impacting your finances. Fortunately, you can file a claim against the at-fault driver to recover out-of-pocket expenses. You can learn more about recovering compensation by consulting with a Kentucky motorcycle accident attorney.

Here at Rhoads & Rhoads Attorneys at Law, we have years of experience fighting for injured Kentucky residents. Our team can help ensure you get the most compensation for your motorcycle accident, and we offer FREE case evaluations to help you get started. 

Schedule your FREE case evaluation today online or by calling 888-709-9329.