Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

May 05, 2022
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and motorcyclists have been anxiously awaiting some warm weather. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind motorists that motorcycle safety is a responsibility of ALL drivers.

Motorcycles are smaller than most vehicles and can be difficult for other motorists to see. Drivers should keep their eyes and ears open for motorcycles. Look twice before changing lanes and always check your blind spot, there could be a motorcycle there.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office strongly encourages motorcyclists to take a safety course, regardless of how long they’ve been riding; your skills can always be enhanced or refreshed.  Other safety tips include:

• Make sure your motorcycle is in good condition.  Check your tires (proper tire pressure is critical), lights, and overall mechanical condition.  Mechanical failure on a motorcycle can cause drastically different problems than with a car or truck.

• Take steps to make yourself extra visible to the motorists around you.  Wearing reflective or high-visibility clothing, lighting, and riding with the assumption that car and truck drivers don’t see you will go a long way to preventing a tragedy.

• Wear and use good motorcycle safety protective gear.

• Never ride impaired or distracted.

  In 2020, there were 5,579 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes in the United States, an 11 percent increase from 2019. Also in 2020, motorcyclists were about 28 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a crash and were 4 times more likely to be injured.