Route Summary
DFW Metroplex riders can head down to Mansfield and start at HWY 287 to begin this twisty ride. There are a lot of corners for riders to navigate through, as well as sections of straight and smooth roads with low to mild traffic, which is why this route is popular with sport bike riders. Use caution – some of the corners are blind and almost 90 degrees.
This route had fatal and incapacitating crashes between 2010 – 2022. In Texas, drivers are not assigned “at fault” in a crash, but law enforcement can assign ‘factors or conditions’ that contributed or may have contributed to a crash. Multiple ‘crash factors and conditions’ can be assigned to one, some, or all vehicles involved in a crash.
The following tables represent data extracted from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System (TxDOT’s CRIS).
| Safety (2010-2022) | |
|---|---|
| Crashes | |
| Fatalities | |
| Serious Injuries | |
| Top Weather Crash Condition | |
| Top Lighting Crash Condition | |
| Top Road Crash Condition | |
Crash Narrative Summary
The following list is a summary of the crash events and conditions that have been described by officers investigating crashes along this route. The investigating officer provides his/her opinion of how the crash happened and will emphasize or explain, as necessary, any pertinent facts that are not fully explained elsewhere on the crash report. This section is meant to supplement the above data tables by providing further insight and “clues” into what factors and conditions contributed or may have contributed to crashes along this route.
- 57% of crashes occurred on curves. Look up & ahead. Don’t focus on the few feet in front of your motorcycle as it is already too late to make a correction. Look where you want to go and keep your eyes up to see potential dangers, allowing yourself adequate time to avoid them.
- 57% were single vehicle crashes, meaning the only unit involved in the crash was the motorcyclist. Remember, to avoid your wheel locking up while emergency braking, if your front wheel “chirps”, release the brake for a split second, then immediately reapply the brake (MSF).
- In multi-vehicle crashes, 67% of the contributing crash factors were attributed to the motorcyclist. In some of these crashes, motorcyclists were unable to maintain their speed as vehicles ahead of them slowed or came to a stop, and they ended up rear-ending the vehicle. When approaching intersections where a vehicle is stopped (or slowing) to yield the right of way to you, reduce your speed and cover the brake controls to reduce your reaction time and create greater braking distances. In multi-vehicle crashes where the vehicle was attributed with the contributing crash factor, the vehicle did not yield the right of way to the motorcyclist while turning left.
- The MSF encourages riders to use The SEE System while riding in traffic. S – search around you for potential hazards; E – evaluate any possible hazards, such as turning cars, railroad tracks, etc.; E – execute the proper action to avoid the hazard. This SEE strategy is a mental system for safe motorcycling. Use it effectively and you’ll cover many safer, happy miles on your motorcycle. (MSF)
- Choose gear that breaks up the colors of your environment. It is hard to see a rider dressed in all black while they are riding on dark asphalt.
- For nighttime riding, choose gear with reflective material. Another option is to put reflective stickers on your helmet, saddle bags, backs of your boots, etc.