Drivers & Motorcyclists
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SAFETY Responsibility
The month of MAY is Motorcycle Safety
Awareness Month the California Highway Patrol (CHP)
and the California Office of Traffic
Safety (OTS)will work together to share an important message:
Motorcycle safety is just as important to
vehicle drivers as it is to motorcyclists.
SACRAMENTO,
Calif.
“Vehicle
drivers and motorcyclists share responsibility for creating a safe roadway
environment,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Drivers must be aware that
motorcycles may be closer than they seem and motorcyclists must always ride
defensively.”
California
has 862,705 registered motorcycles and more than 1.4 million licensed riders,
according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Throughout the spring
and summer, the number of motorcyclists on the road will increase.
“California
is the best state for motorcycling, for both recreation and commuting,” said
Rhonda Craft, OTS Director. “To make it the safest state for motorcycling, both
riders and drivers need to share the road with awareness and caution for all
users.”
Preliminary
estimates from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System show the
number of collisions involving motorcycles increased in 2014, up more than 4
percent from 2013. The number of people killed in motorcycle-involved
collisions increased by nearly 11 percent, from 475 killed in 2013 to 527 killed
in 2014.
Motorcyclists
are more vulnerable to collisions than other drivers. Motorcyclists can defend
themselves by following the rules of the road and wearing protective gear,
including a proper helmet. Most collisions occur when a vehicle driver fails to
see a motorcyclist and turns left in front of the rider. Motorcyclists can help
protect themselves by always using turn signals and avoiding riding in a
vehicle’s blind spot.
Since
collisions can happen to anyone, regardless of age or experience, the CHP
strongly encourages all riders enroll in the California Motorcyclist Safety
Program (CMSP). The CMSP, developed in 1987, graduated its one-millionth
student in late 2015. It offers courses for both the novice and experienced
rider.
“Through training and continued education, the
CMSP’s goal is to make motorcycling safer and more enjoyable while helping to
keep motorcyclists from becoming a statistic,” said Commissioner Farrow.
Several activities are planned in communities throughout the state to recognize
May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. In addition, the CMSP is conducting a
statewide media campaign in May and June with motorcycle safety messages on
radio and television, in social media, and on billboards.
The
mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of
Safety,
Service, and Security to the people of California.