SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Warmer weather leads to more
motorcycles on California roadways and emphasizes the need for all motorists to
share the road. During May, recognized
as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and
the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) will work together to promote
roadway safety for motorcycles through education and awareness projects.
Motorcyclist deaths occurred 28 times more frequently
than fatalities in other vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) reported in a study of 2016 crash data.
“Safe riding practices and cooperation by all users will
help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our roadways,” CHP
Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “It is
especially important for motorists to understand the safety challenges that
motorcyclists face because they are often difficult to see.”
“We can all do our part to share the road and look out
for one another,” OTS Director Rhonda Craft said. “We are all going places. By keeping our distance, watching our speed
and checking blind spots before changing lanes, motorcycles and cars are able
to arrive to their destinations safely.”
In 2018, California saw almost 17,000 collisions
involving motorcycles, preliminary data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic
Records System (SWITRS) shows, with 460 victims killed. Preliminary 2017 SWITRS data shows more than
17,000 collisions involving motorcycles, with 577 victims killed in California.
The California Department of Motor
Vehicles reports more than 900,000 registered motorcycles in the state and more
than 1.4 million licensed riders.
One way the CHP and OTS address the safety challenge is
with the Get Educated and Ride Safe (GEARS)
program, funded by a $625,000 grant from OTS through NHTSA. All eight CHP Divisions will hold outreach
events to promote motorcycle safety during May under the GEARS grant.
As part of its continual motorcycle safety program, the
CHP strongly encourages all riders, new and experienced, to enroll in the
California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP).
The CMSP has 107 training sites throughout the state and trains
approximately 55,000 motorcyclists per year.
For more information or to find a training site near you, visit californiamotorcyclist.com.
“Driving
a car and riding a motorcycle require different skills and knowledge. The training provided through CMSP makes the
journey safer,” said Commissioner Stanley.
Riders can help protect themselves by always using turn
signals, avoiding riding in a vehicle’s blind spot, following the rules of the
road, and always riding sober. Wearing
an approved U.S. Department of Transportation compliant motorcycle safety
helmet and proper protective gear can mean the difference between life and
death.
Motorists can also do their part by sharing the
road. The majority of multi-vehicle
motorcycle collisions are caused when other drivers simply did not see the
motorcyclist. Look twice for
motorcyclists and leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the rider.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of
Safety, Service, and Security.
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