Motorcycle accidents on rise during summer

An article from the Times-Herald in Arkansas details the dangers for motorcyclists on our nation’s roadways, especially during the summer months.

According to the article, motorcycle accidents are more likely during the warmer, sunnier summer months that attract riders to the roads.

In mid-June, there were two such accidents in Forrest City, Arkansas, that caused serious injuries to the motorcycle riders. One was struck by a Dodge pickup truck, and another collided with a vehicle that did not see the motorcycle trying to make a turn.

Authorities are encouraging all motorists to exercise caution when driving, and those driving cars or trucks should keep an eye out for motorcyclists.

Forrest City Police Department detective and motorcycle enthusiast John Riggins said that it is the job of both drivers and riders to be more aware as they travel.

“People need to be more mindful of motorcycles as they drive, and motorcyclists need to be aware of their surroundings. Everyone needs to take a few extra seconds to notice all of the oncoming traffic when they’re sitting at an intersection. We’re all mindful of cars and trucks that are coming towards us, but we also need to make sure that we look for people on motorcycles as well. All motorcycles are required to have headlights on the front, and those have to be on at all times. Many riders have taken measures to add lights to the front so that drivers can see them coming,” said Riggins, who also serves as president of Chapter 25 of Arkansas Bikers Aiming Towards Education (ABATE).

The catch phrase he uses is to “look twice and save a life.” This could be applied to all drivers, all the time. Maybe more accidents could be avoided if more drivers followed this rule of thumb.

For more information on this subject, please refer to outr section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.