Motorcycle Safety Is A Concern For Us All
Last updated Friday, June 16, 2006 9:49 PM CDT in Opinion
The number of motorcycle riders is increasing as bikes spread their appeal to a new group of older and more affluent riders.
Add to the mix gasoline prices hovering near $3 a gallon, more people are also turning to motorcycles as a less expensive way to travel.
More than a million motorcycles were sold in 2004, the highest number in more than 30 years, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Sales continued to climb in 2005, again reaching over a million bikes.
But as the number of riders increases so does the number of motorcycle-related deaths. In 2004, 4,008 people died in motorcycle crashes according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Motorcycle deaths increased by 7.7 percent in 2005 to 4,315.
Motorcyclists are 34 times more likely to die in a crash than occupants in a passenger car. Although motorcycle crashes are on the increase we usually only read or hear about crashes when a celebrity is involved.
When Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, crashed while riding his motorcycle it was front page news and led the 6 o'clock news on the major networks, but most of us have opinions about motorcycles and the people who ride them.
Just about every motorist who's seen a motorcyclist weaving through traffic with a devil-may-care attitude has thought "There goes an accident looking for a place to happen."
While it's true there riders who flirt with death or injury for the thrill of it, the majority of motorcyclists obey traffic laws and safely share the roadway with other motorists.
Motorcycles and especially the smaller motor scooters which are beginning to share the roadways in greater numbers, have the same rights to the road as the biggest semi-tractor rig.
The problem for safe cyclists is motorists who aren't paying attention.
Because a rider and his bike are smaller than cars they are often less visible. Many motorcyclists are injured when a motorists fails to see the approaching motorcycle and pulls into the street, causing the cyclist to collide broadside with the car.
To reduce the number of motorcycle injuries and deaths there are a couple of things we can recommend:
• Motorists need to watch for and remember motorcyclists have the same rights to the road.
• Motorcyclists should wear a helmet. Riding without a helmet is insane. A broken leg or arm will heal, a brain injury is for life.
Northwest Arkansas and its Ozark surroundings offers a multitude of beautiful venues for motorcyclists. The annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ festival has also increased the popularity of our area with riders. Given the proper degree of tolerance and awareness on both sides -- among bikers and motorists -- we can all sit back and enjoy the ride safely.
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