Police urge drivers to watch out for motorcycles

Hulman Street/ ICN file photo

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News


Although motorcycles are involved in less than 2 percent of crashes, officials say they make up nearly 13 percent of all Indiana traffic deaths.

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month and Indiana State Police Sgt. Matt Ames said drivers should be more alert to motorcyclists on the roadways. He notes that more than half of motorcycle crashes last year involved another vehicle, with the other driver at fault a majority of the time. 

Drivers should follow these tips while sharing the road: 

• Look twice for motorcycles at intersections. It is harder to judge a motorcycle’s speed and distance due to its small size.
• Use a turn signal and check mirrors twice before changing lanes or merging with traffic. Almost 40 percent of a car is covered with blind spots.
• Allow more following distance. Motorcyclists may stop quicker than expected and don’t always use their brakes.
• Allow motorcycles the full lane width as they have the same right of way as any other vehicle.

The ISP and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute remind all motorists to share the road, as more bikers are out enjoying the warmer weather. 

Ames said  motorcyclists should realize that obtaining a license or endorsement can mean avoiding a crash later. He suggests they  prepare for and pass the Bureau of Motor Vehicles  motorcycle skills and riding test or to successfully complete an approved motorcycle safety course. 

Hulman Street/ ICN file photo

​Statistics show more than half of motorcycle operators who crashed last year did not have a driver’s license or a motorcycle endorsement. 

Also, simply wearing a helmet could mean the difference between life and death.

Motorcyclists age 18 or younger and those with a motorcycle learner’s permit are required to wear a helmet in Indiana. 

Meanwhile, Ames reminds everyone to pay attention at all times.

"Never drive distracted or impaired," he said.