The weather is getting warmer and the roadways have been emptier than they normally are. This combination can make for a motorcyclist’s dream.
The National Safety Council has deemed the month of May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. This is the time to bring awareness to both motorcyclists and drivers alike to the special safety challenges faced by motorcycle riders.
Although riding a motorcycle can be an exhilarating experience, it also comes with some sobering statistics. Fatal accidents among motorcycle riders and passenger vehicles have more than doubled in the past 20 years. Since 2017, motorcycle accidents account for 14% of all traffic related deaths. Of these motorcycle death, older riders, age 50 and up, accounted for 36% of the deaths. What’s more, 91% percent of those who died in motorcycle accidents were male. And in a recent study, statistics showed that more motorcycle accidents occurred during the weekday versus the weekend. The study also released that accidents that occurred at night were more serious, and often fatal, than those accidents that occurred during the daytime.