Here’s Your Reminder
It’s easy to pay attention to the road when we have reminders. In a school zone, you know to
watch for kids running into the street. At intersections, signs and lights remind you to keep an
eye out for pedestrians. Even bike lanes have markers indicating someone might be on your
side. But what about motorcycles? While some signage exists to let you know that motorcycles
might be around, it is largely up to drivers to remember to look out for riders.
Share the Road
Motorcycles can get a bad rap. Maybe one zoomed by you on the highway and caused a fright.
Sometimes it can be hard to judge how fast or far away one is moving. But Texas has over
380,000 registered motorcycles on the road. These riders are at high risk for crashes and need
drivers’ help to make sure they stay safe. In 2022, Texas motorcycle crashes killed 562
motorcyclists and seriously injured 2,422 motorcyclists.
Keep an Eye Out
Nearly half of motorcycle crashes occur because a driver simply didn’t see the motorcycle. This
isn’t always due to negligence—there’s actually scientific reasoning behind it. Inattention
blindness occurs when someone doesn’t see an object even when it’s right in front of them
because they don’t expect it to be there. There’s a lot going through your brain when you’re
driving and smaller objects like motorcycles can be hard to register. Your brain also thinks those
same smaller objects are farther away and slower than something big like a truck, so your
reaction times could be catastrophically delayed. That’s why it’s so important to make sure
you’re giving motorcycles plenty of room on the road. It’s up to all of us to keep our eyes out
and make sure Texas roads are safe for everyone. Here are a few reminders next time you’re
driving:
– Motorcyclists are completely exposed, so a crash is going to be much worse for them
than for a car.
– 33% of Texas motorcycle crashes in 2022 occurred at an intersection, so make sure to
look twice.
– If you’re driving near a motorcyclist, slow down and give them plenty of space.
– Avoid turning in front of an oncoming motorcyclist—wait until they’ve passed you.
– Use turn signals and check your blind spots before changing lanes.