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With gas prices
topping $4.00 per gallon, more and more Texans are trading their
gas-guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks for more fuel-efficient
motorcycles to save at the pump. More motorcycles on the road means
more motorcyclists may crash and ultimately die on Texas roadways.
That’s why the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is
launching a motorcycle safety campaign encouraging drivers to take
extra caution watching for motorcyclists on roadways.
Because they
have less physical protection than passenger vehicle occupants,
riders are particularly vulnerable in a crash. Federal officials
report that per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 35
times more likely to die in a crash than passenger vehicle
occupants.
“Registered
motorcycles are at an all-time high in Texas,”
said Carlos Lopez, TxDOT’s traffic operations director.
“We’re reminding drivers to be on the lookout for the nearly
400,000 motorcyclists on Texas roadways, especially at intersections
where many crashes happen.”
Starting July
14, television and radio commercials and billboards along interstate
highways will urge drivers to look twice for motorcyclists. The
public education initiative will run for two weeks, coinciding with
National Ride to Work Day on July 16.
Co-sponsoring
the effort is the Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Association, which
educates riders and promotes motorcycle safety in Texas.
TxDOT and the
Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Association have these safety tips for
sharing the road with motorcyclists:
·
Look twice for motorcyclists—at intersections, entering highways
and whenever turning or changing lanes. The small size of
motorcycles often makes them hard to see, and motorcyclists can get
lost in blind spots.
·
Always maintain a safe following distance. Motorcycles can stop more
quickly than passenger vehicles.
·
When passing a motorcyclist, move to the other lane and allow a full
lane for the motorcycle. After doing so, avoid re-entering the lane
too quickly.
In 2006, 346
motorcyclists were killed on Texas roads, which is nearly ten
percent of all fatalities.
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