May is National Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, but in Texas every month is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month. With 961,682 licensed motorcyclists in the Lone Star state, all roadway users share the responsibility of safe travel each and every moment.
With the good-weather riding season beginning and the increased popularity of motorcycles, more and more two- and three-wheeled traffic is present on Texas highways and city streets. Motorcycles are difficult to see because of their smaller size compared to larger vehicles, so please make a conscious effort to look, and then look again for motorcycles.
In 2010, more than 37,000 beginner and advanced students took the Texas Motorcycle Operator Training Program courses. Most motorcycle insurance companies offer a 5 to 20 percent discount for taking the safety course.
John G. Young, Coordinator of the DPS Motorcycle Safety Unit, reminds everyone interested in motorcycling to get properly trained and licensed; wear all protective gear including a DOT-approved helmet; ride unimpaired by alcohol or other drugs; and ride within your own limits while obeying all traffic laws.
To increase the safety of motorcyclists, recommendations to all road users include: check your vehicle’s blind spots before changing lanes; give motorcycles extra space to maneuver; and look twice before going through an intersection.
The person on that motorcycle may be your friend, relative or fellow Texas driver, just like you.
For more information on the Motorcycle Safety Unit, visit
www.txdps.state.tx.us/msb or call 1-800-292-5787.