Share the road…it’s motorcycle season
May 10th, 2010 | By Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. | Category: Blogs, Pennsylvania Injury Information
May has been declared Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). This information is not only applicable to motorcyclists, but also motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. We all are entitled to use Pennsylvania’s roadways and we should all know how to do so safely.
For those of you who are avid riders – both beginners and veterans – a campaign entitled “Live Free Ride Alive”, which emphasizes the importance of reducing the number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities in Pennsylvania, has recently been launched. The campaign’s interactive website, www.LiveFreeRideAlive.com, is designed especially for you and is worth a look.
While it is extremely important for motorcycle riders to be accountable for their own safety, it is also crucial for others on the road to know that motorcycles should be respected as would be a full-size vehicle. Motorcycles have the same rights on the road as other vehicles. Motorcycles also have the same obligation to follow the law. Safe motorcycling means obeying speed limits, abstaining from driving under the influence (DUI), having a valid driver’s license, minding pedestrians in crosswalks, refraining from reckless and aggressive driving behavior. A motorcyclist can further increase his/her level of safety by wearing protective gear and taking a motorcycle safety training course. Approved training courses are offered by the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program.
In 2009, over 3,700 Pennsylvania motorcycle accidents were reported; 204 of them involved fatal PA motorcycle accidents. 12,000 new PA motorcycle licenses were issued in 2009, and 3,000 more motorcycles were registered over the year before. A decrease in the number of yearly Pennsylvania motorcycle accidents in many years was actually realized in 2009. This is promising, but we still must all be mindful of doing our part by adhering to the rules of the road. Motorcyclists are not the only ones who cause PA motorcycle accidents. Motorcycle riders are often hit by Pennsylvania drunk drivers, or overtaken by reckless motorists. The same is true of how many bicycle accidents happen.
Summer is nearly upon us and we all want to get out and have some fun. However, if you are the victim of a Pennsylvania motor cycle accident, a motorcycle-car accident, a motorcycle-pedestrian accident, or a motorcycle-bicycle accident, talk to the knowledgeable accident injury attorneys at Saile & Saile LLP.
