Share the Road, Save a Life
As the weather warms up, more motorcyclists will be hitting the road – making Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May the perfect time to focus on traffic safety. Whether your employees ride or drive, it’s critical to raise awareness and promote safe habits that help protect all road users.
Motorcycles account for just 3% of registered vehicles and less than 1% of miles traveled in the U.S., but motorcycle riders and passengers account for a disproportionate number of traffic deaths and injuries. According to 2022 data analyzed by the National Safety Council, motorcycle crash incidents were linked to:
- 6% of all traffic fatalities
- 5% of all crash injuries
High-Risk Conditions
Contrary to popular belief, most fatal motorcycle crashes do NOT occur in bad weather or at night. National Safety Council data shows they often happen:
- On urban roads (66%)
- In good weather (94%)
- During daylight hours (50%)
In Texas alone, 599 riders died and 2,483 were seriously injured in crashes in 2023, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. About 40% of those killed were not wearing helmets. What can you do?
What’s Behind These Crashes?
More than half of fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Most often, the driver:
- Fails to see the motorcycle
- Misjudges the motorcycle’s speed or the distance separating the motorcycle from the car or truck they’re operating
Safety Tips to Share
Protect your drivers – all your employees – and their family members. Reduce liability risk exposure by promoting these motorcycle safety tips from TxDOT:
- Look twice before turning or changing lanes – especially at intersections
- Check blind spots and use turn signals consistently
- Slow down and stay back – keep a safe following distance
- Give motorcycles space – don’t crowd their lane or pass too closely
- Avoid distractions — even a quick glance at your phone can result in a distracted-driving crash
Why Motorcycle Safety Matters
Motorcyclists are about 24 times more likely to die and 4 times more likely to be injured in a crash than passenger vehicle occupants, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Employers absorb the brunt of crash costs, whether they occur on or off the job, through everything from lost employee workdays to higher insurance premiums. So, it makes dollars and sense to be a workplace safety ambassador.
Brightly colored clothing, boots, shoes and helmets can help riders to be more conspicuous on the road. Use these free resources from the National Safety Council, NHTSA and Texas A&M Transportation Institute to enhance your public safety outreach efforts:
- Safer Roads in a Safe System Approach
- Motorcycle facts and stats, social media graphics and videos
- Look, Learn, Live (promoting safety for all riders in Texas)
Let’s make the roads safer for everyone. If you have team members who ride motorcycles, inspire them to ride safely, whether it’s for transportation to-and-from work or just for fun on weekends.
Hungry for Safety
In May, we observe Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. It’s a reminder that car crashes remain the leading cause of preventable death for teenagers and that safety interventions save lives.
Take time to discuss risk factors with your rideshare drivers, food service and package delivery drivers and others in the workplace setting, including parents and caregivers, to help protect our most vulnerable drivers. Be sure to provide ongoing training and education and cover these topics:
Nighttime driving: Inexperience and lower visibility at night are a recipe for disaster. While only 1% of teen driving trips occur from midnight to 5:59 a.m., 13% of teen fatal crashes occur during this time. It is important to log teen driving hours, set curfews and to have teens follow their state Graduated Driver Licensing laws.
Speeding: Speeding was a factor in almost a third of all crashes in 2022, contributing to more than 12,000 fatalities in the U.S. A closer look at age groupings involved in those fatal crashes shows male drivers between the ages of 15 and 24 were the most heavily represented. Get your team talking with their young drivers about the importance of following posted speed limits, slowing down in inclement weather, and being especially cautious in and around school and work zones.
Alcohol-impaired driving: Alcohol use continues to be a top risk factor. While teens are legally prohibited from consuming alcohol, 1,345 drivers ages 20 or younger in the U.S. were involved in alcohol-impaired fatal crashes in 2022. Share this tragic story from FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth News: Teenage Drunk Driver Kills Family of 5 in Fort Worth Fiery Crash, Police Say.
Distracted driving: Anything that takes a teen’s attention off the task of driving can be deadly. This includes eating behind the wheel, having too many passengers and phone use. It is important that teens drive distraction-free and focus on the road ahead.
Employers can be part of the safety solution by providing driver education and training and starting these conversations in the workplace. Be an influencer: When parents and caregivers are involved in keeping their children safe, the roads are safer for everyone.
Get more information and share free resources: DriveitHOME.org
Reduce Road Rage
Aggressive driving can take on many forms, including tailgating, horn-honking and speeding. Train your employees to recognize aggressive driving behaviors and how to avoid crashes caused by another driver’s recklessness behind the wheel. We can help you get started. Join us for a free online webinar Tuesday, May 13:
- When Aggressive Driving Becomes Road Rage – Practical Tips for Employers. Register to attend now.
National Safety Council Program Manager April Ramos and Texas Department of Public Safety Lieutenant Craig Cummings will offer insights into the telltale signs of aggressive driving. They’ll discuss how aggressive driving can escalate into road rage and they’ll provide practical advice on what drivers can do to protect themselves and reduce the likelihood of being involved in crashes.