The warm summer months provide a great opportunity for Monmouth County residents to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. This is particularly true of those residents who own motorcycles who often have a limited time in which to enjoy hitting the open, and not so open, road. While motorcyclists often consider their preferred mode of transportation as being fun and thrilling, it can also be extremely dangerous.
Statistics provided by New Jersey’s’ Department of Law & Public Safety report that an average of 2,000 state residents are injured in motorcycle accidents each year. Additionally, 70 plus individuals will die as a result of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. The following are some tips for motorcyclists on how to stay safe during the prime riding months this summer and fall.
- Slow down – Excessive speed is a major contributing factor in many motorcycle accidents. This is especially the case when a driver attempts to make a turn or maneuver around a corner with “40 percent of single vehicle motorcycle fatalities” being attributable to a driver who was traveling too fast and lost control.
- Wear appropriate safety gear – Motorcyclists in New Jersey are required to wear a helmet. Additionally, drivers would be wise to wear protective safety gear like glasses, pants and boots.
- Follow traffic laws – Don’t’ speed, use turn signals and don’t tailgate other motorists.
- Be cautious – Due to their size, motorcycles are often difficult for other motorists to see. It’s wise, therefore, for motorcyclists to drive cautiously and assume they may not be visible to drivers in cars and trucks.
- Stay sober – Drinking and driving is especially dangerous when operating a motorcycle as, aside from a helmet, a driver has virtually no protection in the event he or she is involved in an accident.
Source: The State of New Jersey: Department of Law & Public Safety, “Motorcycle Safety Resources,” 2014
