MADISON, WI (WSAU-WXPR) — With a backdrop of 550,000 Wisconsin residents holding a motorcycle license, May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Traffic safety officials are asking all drivers to share the road, be alert and be safe.
Last year in Wisconsin, there were nearly 1,800 motorcycle crashes with about 1,500 Injuries and 81 people killed.
Sarah Buzzell is Program Manager for the DOT’s Motorcycle Safety Program. She says being respectful of all drivers is key, especially the cyclists: “Just making sure that they’re scanning the road carefully. Looking ahead, watching for debris and curves, especially at intersections. Making sure checking you check once, twice, three times, your driving sober and you wear the gear all the time.”
Buzzell says operators should be properly licensed and not drive a ‘cycle larger than they are licensed and experienced to drive. She says even licensed bikers should polish their skills. “We ask people to consider taking training every couple of years at least. Working with local training sites is always a great plan. Practicing those emergency evasive skills on a regular basis.”
She says being seen is very important. Buzzell says wear bright protective gear and make sure you keep proper spacing.
As a group, the motorcycling community is aging. The average age of a motorcyclist involved in a fatal crash increased from 30 years old in 1992 to 45 in 2019.
