by Morinville News Staff
With warmer weather rearing its head, the sound of revving engines can be heard throughout the province as motorcycles hit the road once again.
The Government of Albert is reminding motorcyclists and motorists that both need to share the province’s roads.
More than two-thirds of collisions involving a motorcycle result in death or injury. That statistic is considerably higher than the one in 10 for all other collisions. Between 2010 and 2014, 3,323 motorcycles were involved in casualty collisions. These collisions resulted in 153 deaths and 3,440 injuries.
Motorcycles have the same rights on the road as larger vehicles. Drivers should allow motorcycles enough space to travel in the lane and always check blind spots before changing lanes.
“Motorcycles are smaller and sometimes less stable than other vehicles, despite their high-performance capabilities, which means they can appear where drivers do not expect them,” said Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation, in a release Friday. “Drivers need to be cautious when travelling near motorcycles, while motorcyclists should ride defensively and be aware of other road users nearby.”
Mark Dobbelsteyn, program director of Traffic Safety with the Alberta Safety Council advises motorcyclists to
ride to be seen. “Don’t dart in and out of traffic as drivers may lose sight of you in their mirrors,” he said.
