News

Actions

Michigan State Police urging motorists to be safe this summer

Posted at 5:49 AM, May 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-28 05:54:10-04

WEST MICHIGAN -- May is national motorcycle safety month and with the warmer temperatures upon us chances are many of Michiganders are likely going to be or know someone who will be riding a motorcycle.

There’s so many factors to be concerned about once motorcyclists are back on the roads. A few of those major concerns are protective gear and driver awareness. Harley Davidson and MSP are hoping for a safe summer.

Summer is the time for motorcyclists and drivers to become aware of one another when sharing the road again. The Michigan State Police say vehicle drivers especially need to avoid distractions and pay extra attention to the roads. MSP urges drivers to make complete stops and look both ways in order to clear blind spots.

It’s all about the gear and bonus bike features for motorcyclists. Even though a helmet is not required by Michigan laws, Harley Davidson highly recommends one on top of reflective outwear wear to make the rider more visible.

According to Michigan State Police, last year alone nearly 3 thousand crashes were reported with more than 100 of them becoming deadly. Taking a motorcycle course is recommended to always learn something new and become more in tune with your riding comfort level.

"We take a lot of crashes where motorcyclists might have taken a curve to fast, a little uncomfortable leaning into that curve so make sure that you are riding to your comfort level. If you are riding in groups always have the most inexperienced lead that group that way the person is setting the tone, they are not trying to keep up with experienced riders," says Brandon Davis, Specialist Trooper for Michigan State Police.

Learning to ride smarter and also learning when it’s a good time for children to become motorcycle passengers. It’s a tough question to answer with many factors needing to be considered.

Adam Rossell, Harley Davidson parts and accessories manager says, "Kind of like carseats in a car once they are big enough, I think it is a size thing. If a kid is big enough and responsible enough sit still, hold on and have their feet firmly planted on the passenger pegs then I think its kind of, its at their parent's discretion."

Everyone needs to make smart decisions and be extra cautious to obey all traffic laws for both the motorcyclists and vehicle drivers.