CTDOT Reminds Drivers, Motorcyclists that Motorcyclist Safety Is Everyone’s Safety

CTDOT Press Releases

05/01/2024

CTDOT Reminds Drivers, Motorcyclists that Motorcyclist Safety Is Everyone's Safety

During the month of May, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) urges all drivers and motorcyclists that Motorcyclist Safety is Everyone's Safety.

CTDOT joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in reinforcing this critical safety message during riding season for motorcyclists nationwide and Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May.

Each year, motorcyclists face disproportionate risks on our roads, with speeding emerging as a significant contributor to traffic fatalities. In Connecticut, more than 50 motorcyclists lose their lives on our roadways each year. In 2022, there were 65 motorcycle fatalities in the state, the highest number in over 35 years.

NHTSA's 2022 data reveals alarming trends: 6,218 motorcyclists lost their lives in traffic crashes, constituting 15% of total highway fatalities, marking a 1% increase from the previous year. Per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists were about 22 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and 4 times more likely to be injured.

Speeding, like in all other years, was a major contributing factor to motorcyclist fatalities in 2022. Thirty-five percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to 22% of all passenger car drivers, 15% of all light-truck drivers, and 6% of all large-truck drivers. Motorcycle riders 21 to 24 years old involved in fatal crashes had the highest speeding involvement at 51%.

"With warmer winters comes longer riding seasons. Sadly, that has also meant more fatalities on our roads," said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month reminds us that safety is everyone's responsibility. If we all practice safe driving habits, we can collectively work towards reducing roadway fatalities and create a safe environment for all users."

CTDOT recommends these tips for motor vehicle drivers and motorcyclists when on the road:

• Always check your blind spots.Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and can be even more difficult to spot while merging or changing lanes. Take your time before merging and devote several seconds to searching each of your car's blind spots before proceeding with your intended maneuver.
• Be extra cautious when passing. Make sure to signal your intention to pass a motorcyclist by using your turn signal. Always make sure you are several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle before returning to your lane.
• Remember that motorcycles react more quickly than cars. Make sure that you maintain an adequate following distance behind motorcycles. Rear-ending a motorcycle can be fatal to the rider.
• Be aware of the weather. Bad weather has more drastic effects on motorcycle riders than it does on automobile drivers. Also, remember that weather conditions often reduce your visibility and may cause motorcycles to be more difficult to see.
• Night-riding. Help riders stay safe after dark by increasing your following distance, ensuring that your high beams are turned off when you notice an approaching motorcycle, and refraining from passing. If you are driving with your high beams on, you must dim them at least 500 feet from any oncoming vehicle including a motorcycle.
• Stay in your lane. Motorcycles are legally entitled to their own lane of traffic. In no situation are you allowed to drive your automobile in the same lane and in proximity to a motorcycle. No matter how small these vehicles are or how much extra room there appears to be, sharing a single lane with a motorcycle is a recipe for an accident and is illegal.
• Inform motorcyclists of your intention to turn. Initiate your turn signal sooner than you normally would when you know there is a motorcycle driving behind you.
• Intersections are danger zones. Many vehicle accidents that involve both automobiles and motorcycles occur at intersections. Always follow the safety protocol for intersections every single time that you approach one: come to a complete halt, view and obey posted traffic signs and signals, look both ways for approaching traffic, and proceed slowly.
• Watch for turning motorcycles. Self-canceling turn signals did not become standard on motorcycles until the late 1970s. There are still many motorcycles on the road today that do not have the self-canceling turn signals that we are now accustomed to. If you notice that a motorcycle is driving with an activated turn signal for an abnormal distance, increase your following distance so that you have time to react whenever the rider decides to turn.
• Take a second look at left turns. Before you cross a lane or lanes of traffic to turn left, take a second look for approaching motorcycles. Vehicle accidents involving the collision of a left-turning car and an approaching motorcycle can be very severe.

For more information on motorcycle safety, visit nhtsa.gov.

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