CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — As the sun comes out and the air starts to warm, more people get on the roads to travel and enjoy the spring weather. This is true for drivers on four, three and two wheels.
Springtime is when new and old riders come out after getting their licenses, new bikes or just wanting to enjoy a scenic route while errand running.
California is more or less the motorcycle hub because “it's the only place in the country that in one hour, you can be at the ocean, in the forest, in the desert or in the mountains,” said Lee Parks, owner of Total Control Training.
He’s a veteran rider whose company partners with California Highway Patrol to train motorcyclists at all levels.
"Motorcycles are never going to be safe. We’re working to minimize danger, not make them safe," said Parks about the training courses offered to riders at all levels. "Things are getting better."
Data from the California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System shows motorcycle fatalities have decreased by roughly 2% in the last 10 years with an average of 548 deaths statewide per year.
Experts say there are a handful of things all motorists can do to keep the trend going.
"Distracted driving is always going to take people's eyes off the road," said Citrus Heights Traffic Sergeant Kane Kissam. "Just be on the lookout."
He says he's seen his fair share of motorcycle involved accidents, the leading cause of which was distracted driving or a "right of way violation."
"Either somebody's turning in front of a motorcycle, or failing to stop at an intersection and the motorcycle has the right of way," said Kissam, adding there are a lot of other causes but this is the most common. "We ask that people just be extra wary that motorcyclists are out there and look twice."
Tips to prevent a crash:
- Be alert, focused on driving and your surroundings
- Make complete stops
- Look twice before turning, merging, moving from a stop
- Use your mirrors, check your blind spots
- Use your blinkers
- Share the road
"Sharing the road just means knowing that you're not the only ones out there and there will be some who are much smaller than you and much harder to recognize," said Parks. "[They're] very easy to get lost in the shuffle, through no fault of anyone."
He says to think of the road like a dinner party and all the vehicles on it being polite dinner guests — meaning motorcyclists should keep racing to the tracks and drivers should keep an eye and ear out for the little guys.
"We're not really trained to look for motorcyclists when you learned how to drive a car. There was nothing in the curriculum about looking out for motorcyclists, and the kinds of things that you need to be careful of," said Parks. "People get killed, they get injured and nobody wants that."
Even though it’s frustrating, drivers should be aware motorcyclists can legally drive between two lanes and drivers preventing them from moving through by blocking a lane with their car, opening their door or not otherwise providing space for motorcycles to pass is illegal, according to CHP.
While there technically is no legal limit on speed when you're lane splitting, danger increases at higher speeds and higher speed differentials.
Other tips for motorcycle safety:
Don't speed, follow the rules of the road
Wear gear — helmets, gloves, pants, boots, etc.
Stay visible in lanes by wearing bright colored and/or reflective gear and staying out of blind spots when possible
Always have multiple escape/exit routes from your position
Take training courses. Parks says, "learning is a lifelong process, so no matter how much training you've done, or not done, how much experience you've had, there's always something more to learn as technology changes."
Ultimately, data shows using these tips and additional training is helping to reduce motorcycle deaths. While motorcycles will never be as safe as cars, working to minimize danger will benefit everyone on the road.
