Look Twice, Save A Life! I'm sure by now you have seen this posted somewhere in your travels. Its
simple and effective, Look Twice, how hard can that be! The life you save may not only be a
motorcycle rider, it could be Yours! Most people are under the assumption that because they are in a
car they are protected, not true! (Do a Google search to satisfy your morbid curiosity) Fact is, an
eight hundred pound bike in your drivers door can invade your space!
Now I'm not accusing drivers of cars for all motorcycle accidents, but two thirds of all bike crashes
are multi vehicle accidents, and three fourths of those are from a car violating the motorcycle riders
right of way. The #1 cause is a driver making a left hand turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
Most drivers who do not own a bike simply don't know what to watch out for! Even with their
headlights on, loud pipes, reflective tape, etc, a motorcycle can blend in with the surroundings. Its
also hard to judge how fast a motorcycle may be approaching you, would you pull out if that was a
car? Following distance is another important consideration, a motorcycle will stop a lot faster than a
car so leave plenty of room between you. It comes down to awareness, know whats around you, is
there anything in your blind spot? Whats behind that parked truck? Are you texting?
"Oh shit thats a semi" bet you didn't see that one coming!
You can find tons of studies on the Internet relating to motorcycle crashes, safety, etc, so I will skip
that here except for one. In 2000 according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration) there were 4.3 million motorcycles on the road. In 2008 that number has increased to
over 7 million! Lets face it, we all have to share the road!
Remember driving in this country is not a right, its a privilege, with privilege comes responsibility!
Sure accidents will happen but we can all do our part to minimize the risk's. The six degrees of
separation doesn't apply to the road. We all know someone who rides or have a family member who
knows someone.... And becoming a more aware driver makes you a safer driver in all situations!
By the way, "Look Twice" also works at Railroad Crossings! Make it part of your driving arsenal.
simple and effective, Look Twice, how hard can that be! The life you save may not only be a
motorcycle rider, it could be Yours! Most people are under the assumption that because they are in a
car they are protected, not true! (Do a Google search to satisfy your morbid curiosity) Fact is, an
eight hundred pound bike in your drivers door can invade your space!
Now I'm not accusing drivers of cars for all motorcycle accidents, but two thirds of all bike crashes
are multi vehicle accidents, and three fourths of those are from a car violating the motorcycle riders
right of way. The #1 cause is a driver making a left hand turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
Most drivers who do not own a bike simply don't know what to watch out for! Even with their
headlights on, loud pipes, reflective tape, etc, a motorcycle can blend in with the surroundings. Its
also hard to judge how fast a motorcycle may be approaching you, would you pull out if that was a
car? Following distance is another important consideration, a motorcycle will stop a lot faster than a
car so leave plenty of room between you. It comes down to awareness, know whats around you, is
there anything in your blind spot? Whats behind that parked truck? Are you texting?
"Oh shit thats a semi" bet you didn't see that one coming!
You can find tons of studies on the Internet relating to motorcycle crashes, safety, etc, so I will skip
that here except for one. In 2000 according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration) there were 4.3 million motorcycles on the road. In 2008 that number has increased to
over 7 million! Lets face it, we all have to share the road!
Remember driving in this country is not a right, its a privilege, with privilege comes responsibility!
Sure accidents will happen but we can all do our part to minimize the risk's. The six degrees of
separation doesn't apply to the road. We all know someone who rides or have a family member who
knows someone.... And becoming a more aware driver makes you a safer driver in all situations!
By the way, "Look Twice" also works at Railroad Crossings! Make it part of your driving arsenal.
By Bill Scheetz
| Look Twice, Save A Life! It's simple and effective! |