Arkansas State Police reminds drivers that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A national campaign marking the start of the riding season for motorcyclists asks drivers and riders to increase awareness.
A release from the Arkansas State Police reminds both groups that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. In keeping with the theme, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reminds all that motorcycle safety is everyone's safety.
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ASP officials said motorcycles are overrepresented in traffic crashes, primarily due to speed and alcohol impairment.
'It is essential that riders and drivers both pay critical attention to their driving habits and to each other while out on the road,' officials said.
ASP cites NHTSA data showing 6,218 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes in 2022, making up 15% of total highway fatalities for that year. Speeding was a major contributing factor for motorcyclist fatalities in 2022, accounting for 35% of all motorcyclist fatalities.
Officials continued that more than half, 51%, of those fatalities were motorcyclists 21 to 24 years old. Alcohol impairment also played a significant role in motorcycle-involved crash fatalities, with 42% of motorcycle riders dying in single-vehicle crashes in 2022 being alcohol-impaired.
In Arkansas, an average of 76 Arkansans are killed each year on motorcycles totaling 760 from 2013-2022, officials said.
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ASP officials remind the importance of motorcycle helmets.
Like seat belts, wearing DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets can save lives and reduce injuries, they said. After three years of declines, helmet use increased from 65% in 2021 to 67% in 2022. NHTSA data estimates that helmets saved 1,872 motorcyclists' lives in 2017 and that 749 more lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn their helmets.
ASP officials also remind drivers that other than the importance of obeying traffic laws and avoiding distractions and impairment, drivers should be prepared to yield to motorcycles, especially at intersections, and bikers are advised to wear high-visibility clothing and a DOT-approved helmet.
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Officials said that rider education and training courses are also important for motorcycle safety.
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