"look Twice For Bikers!"

[Guest DREBBIN]

US States News February 2, 2007 Friday 9:01 PM EST

 

TASK FORCE URGES LOCAL MOTORISTS TO 'LOOK TWICE' FOR BIKERS

 

Volusia County issued the following news release:

 

Volusia County will welcome Bike Week guests this year with an all-out effort to make the county's roads safer for motorcyclists. A multi-agency task force is urging local motorists to slow down and "look twice" before pulling into traffic.

 

The Volusia County Council in November requested the formation of a Bike Week Safety Task Force to research statistics and develop a game plan for reducing the number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities.

 

"Having been a motorcycle rider for many years, I'm aware of the unique safety challenges that come with riding," said County Council member Carl Persis, who asked that County government employees spearhead the safety campaign. "As local residents, we need to do be extra careful on the roads during bike events so we can prevent accidents."

 

The task force - which includes bikers, law enforcement officers, firefighters and tourism officials - found that local statistics mirror national statistics. Locally and nationally, about half of motorcycle fatalities are caused by motorists, most often when a motorist violates a motorcyclist's right of way.

 

"In many accidents, the motorist either didn't see the motorcycle at all or didn't see it in time to avoid a crash," said Trooper Kim Miller of the Florida Highway Patrol.

 

Miller added that most crashes between vehicles and motorcycles involve turning left at an intersection.

 

During Bike Week 2006, 11 bikers were killed on Volusia County roads, four were killed in Flagler County, and five were killed in other east central Florida counties as they returned home from Bike Week festivities. EVAC Ambulance responded to a record 283 motorcycle accidents and transported 133 patients to area hospitals.

 

According to Volusia County Community Information Specialist Pat Kuehn, who led the task force, 14 of the 15 fatalities in Volusia and Flagler counties were men, and the average age was 48 with a range of 24 to 65. Three victims were from Volusia County, six were from other counties in Florida, and six were from other states. Motorists were at fault in eight of the 15 fatalities, according to records compiled by the Florida Highway Patrol.

 

The campaign, which will be launched Feb. 15, will use the slogan, "Look Twice. Save a Life." The slogan was developed by Kathy and Patrick Malone in memory of their son, Lance, 25, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in DeKalb County, Ga., in 1995. The couple formed a nonprofit organization, Lance Malone Motorcycle Awareness Inc., to raise awareness about motorcycle safety.

 

Components of the Volusia County campaign will include billboards, transit advertising, newspaper ads, temporary roadside signs, public service announcements, and letters to churches and other organizations.

 

"Our basic message is that motorists should use extra caution during Bike Week," Kuehn said. "Motorcycles are everywhere, and they're sometimes hard to see. We're asking motorists to slow down and look twice before pulling into traffic or approaching an intersection."

 

Bikers also are encouraged to drive safely while in town, obeying the speed limit and not drinking and driving. "The first thing motorists say when they hit a bike is, 'I didn't see the bike,'" said Crazy Eddie Colosimo, a task force member and president of Bikers for First Amendment Rights. "So, riders, ride defensively, like you are invisible."

 

Agencies represented on the task force include Bikers for First Amendment Rights, the County of Volusia, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area Chamber of Commerce, Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Daytona Beach Hotel/Motel Association, Daytona Beach Fire and Police departments, Destination Daytona, EVAC Ambulance, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Highway Patrol, Halifax Community Health System, Volusia County Fire Services and Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

 

Safety tips for motorists

 

Sharing the roads with thousands of bikers requires special attention. The Bike Week Safety Task Force encourages motorists to follow these safety tips throughout the year, but especially during Bike Week:

 

* Double-check traffic at intersections before you turn or pull out.

 

* Check your blind spots before changing lanes.

 

* Treat motorcyclists with the same respect you give to other motorists.

 

* Stay focused on your driving. Avoid distractions such as talking on your cell phone, eating, or changing radio stations.

 

* Leave at least a four-second distance between your car and a motorcycle in front of you. Note when a motorcycle passes a point in the road. If your vehicle passes the same point before you count "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four," you're following too closely.

 

* When passing a motorcycle, give a full lane to the motorcycle.

 

* Keep a watchful eye at all times. Because they're small, motorcycles are hard to see. Individual motorcycles may blend into a larger group and may be closer than you think.

 

* Finally, remember that failure to yield right-of-way can result in the death of a motorcyclist.