“In 2015, motor-vehicle-related crashes claimed the lives of
5,376 pedestrians—an increase of 9 percent over the previous year—and injured
an estimated 70,000 people. Deaths among bicyclists rose by 10 percent, with
motor-vehicle-related crashes taking 818 lives and injuring an estimated 45,000
bicyclists.” –National Highway Traffic Safety Administration -National Highway Traffic Safety Administration1
5,376 lives lost in motor-vehicle related crashed with an
estimated 70k people injured in the states in 2016… I don’t know about you but
those numbers are outrageous to me. 1 life lost is too many but over 5,000 in
one year, not to mention that number is higher than the previous year. And
according to the Texas Department of Transportation2, “From 2015 to 2016, Texas motorcycle fatalities increased
from 464 to 493 (6 percent), and crashes resulting in seriously injured
motorcyclists increased from 1,902 to 2,006 (5 percent).” Unacceptable, y’all...
Let’s talk about this issue, especially since May is
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. In an effort to raise awareness for
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the Texas Department of Transportation3 introduced the “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign. It
cannot be stressed enough that as drivers we all need to thoroughly look before
changing lanes because sometimes it can be hard to see a motorcyclist.
Motorcyclists, stay out of blind spots. If you can see yourself in a side
mirror, so should the driver. All drivers have the same rights and
responsibilities as those on a motorcycle.
Even a minor collision with a motorcyclist can be fatal so
keep an eye out for them. They don’t have airbags, or metal surrounding them to
keep them safe. The only thing they have is a helmet but even a helmet
sometimes isn’t enough.
Those of us who do not ride motorcycles need to know that
motorcyclists aren’t trying to hide from us, they’re just smaller. Watch
closely for them especially when you’re changing lanes.
Whether you drive a car, truck, motorcycle, 18 wheeler or
even if you’re riding a bicycle, be more alert and less distracted. Let’s go
back to the “Old times” and just drive. Just think of how many accidents could
be prevented if we just had to drive and not be on our phones, doing our make
up or as some of you may have read in a previous blog of ours, watch Netflix
and drive… It is our responsibility as drivers to share the road with one
another and always be aware of those around you, giving yourself plenty of
space between yourself and the driver in front of you.
It seems as though motorcycle accidents are happening more
often, especially in the DFW area. Maybe it’s because of social media where
most everything is in real time. One thing I always think of when I see the
news of a fatal accident, is that I hope they had life insurance. Although none
of us like to talk about that possibility, having a life insurance policy does
need to be considered, especially if you are a motorcyclist. A life insurance
policy is so important for all of us, because if an unfortunate event happens,
your loved ones will be taken care. Having a Legacy Gift, as we like to call
it, will then give you peace of mind knowing your family will be taken care of.
Sharing is caring so let’s share our roads and watch out for
one another. Let’s all make an honest effort to keep one another safe.
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