43
Officials, motorcyclists urge diligence on road
SEE ALSO: Crash victim lived in Austintown
By ASHLEY LUTHERN
Sharing the Road
Some tips
Tips to prevent motorcycle accidents, for both the cyclist and drivers of cars and trucks:
Drivers
Give motorcycles a full lane of traffic.
Watch for motorcycles in your blind spot.
Take extra care at intersections, as 40 percent of all motorcycle accidents occur there.
Cyclists
Wear the proper gear, including a helmet.
Get the proper license and endorsement for operating a motorcycle.
Buy a motorcycle that fits your body type and the location you’ll be driving.
BOTH
Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Always follow the speed limit.
Source: Gold Wing Road Riders Association and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation
YOUNGSTOWN
Officials and cyclists are urging travelers to stay safe after three fatal motorcycle accidents in the Valley over the weekend and a statewide increase in motorcycle fatalities.
At this time last year, 49 motorcycle fatalities were reported in Ohio. This year, that number has jumped to 62, said Kristen Castle, spokesperson for Motorcycle Ohio at the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
This increase comes after a slight drop in 2009, after a 35 percent increase in fatal motorcycle crashes from 2006 to 2008, Castle said.
Of the 62 fatalities in 2010 so far, 28 of the riders were not wearing a helmet, she said.
Robert Gladden, general manager of the national nonprofit Motorcycle Safety Foundation, said motorcyclists should wear appropriate gear: helmet, jacket, gloves, pants and over-the-ankle footwear.
“In Ohio, where you have winter and then the snow melts, they all hit the road at the same time,” Gladden said. “Everyone should be out there looking out for each other and being good roadway citizens.”
This includes car and truck drivers, as well.
Larry Janesh, 61, of Youngstown, has been riding a motorcycle for 10 years and said he considers all cars on the road equally dangerous.
“I’m always looking and scanning the horizon,” said Janesh, who is also the motorist-awareness coordinator for the local chapter of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association.
“We encourage motorists to give motorcyclists a full lane of travel. ... We also remind them that road obstructions like potholes could be deadly for a motorcyclist, and they should anticipate motorcyclists to take evasive actions,” said Sgt. Max Norris of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Norris also said that motorcyclists need to have the proper endorsement on their license. Currently 59,000 motorcycles are registered in Ohio but have no current match with a motorcycle endorsement.
“Plenty of people are riding motorcycles who don’t have an endorsement to do so,” he said. “They’re riding without being trained, and that makes it even more dangerous.”
But for motorcyclists who are endorsed, Janesh said the biggest hazard on the roads are distracted drivers who often say that they did not see the motorcycle at all before the collision.
“Motor vehicles should give motorcycles more space,” he said. “Look twice and save a life.”