The warm summer months mean more motorcycles on the roads, and that can mean more motorcycle versus car accidents
MARQUETTE -- According to the OHSP in the state of Michigan in 2008, there were almost 4,000 motorcycle crashes and about 85 percent of those crashes resulted in injuries.
Avid motorcycle riders say the most important thing you can do when riding your bike is to drive defensively, always anticipating the next move of the drivers around you.
"When you're on the bike, you should definitely be looking ahead and scanning all of the entrances and exits, and just really be alert out there and almost planning on the fact that they could pull out in front of you," says Jesse Zambon, sales manager at Bald Eagle Harley Davidson in Marquette.
And if you're driving a car, you should also be driving defensively when it comes to sharing the road with motorcyclists. By looking over your shoulder and using your turn signals, you can reduce the chances of hitting a motorcycle that may be in your blind spot.
For bikers, it's critical that you are seen by motorists. Many motorcycles are already equipped with LED lighting, brighter headlights, and passing lamps. Attachment lights are sold for older models. What you're wearing matters, too; vibrant clothes and reflectors enable you to be seen by drivers.
Police recommend that you get all the training you can.
"Ride as much as you can so that you know--watch conditions of the road, watch for gravel on the road, watch for water on the road, and watch for other motorists, and anticipate what they might be doing and plan accordingly," says Detective Mike Wasie of the Marquette Police Department.
And as always, wear a helmet, not only for safety, but it's the law.
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