There were more than ninety-nine motorcycle related deaths in Arizona in 2010. One year later, in 2011, the number jumped to 157, with more than 2,900 motorcycle accidents according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. More and more motorcycle riders on the road in Arizona means there’s a higher possibility of accidents occurring.
The Governor's Office of Highway Safety and Arizona Department of Transportation has been asked to develop a strategy to help combat the growing number of motorcyclists who are killed on Arizona roadways. The agencies have one year to devise a plan; regardless, there will be a recommendation for more training and education.
The key to assuring safety amongst all riders in Arizona is to train and educate young riders throughout the state. The more these riders know, the better off they will be on the streets. What exactly causes the accidents in the first place? Is the the riders themselves being careless, or is it the other motorists simply just not paying attention? The answer: Likely a mixture of both.
The more educational materials and training available to motorcycle riders, the better. Not only will it keep them safe, it will also help in riders handling drivers who just are not paying attention while on the road. But what to do about the other motorists? How can we help them visualize motorists better?
According to reports, many people think when a motorcyclist is in an accident, they are at fault. The overwhelming assumption is that the motorcyclist is reck-less “riding”, when in fact motorcycle crashes involve more than one vehicle in half of all motorcycle accidents. Of the total amount of accidents per year, nearly 40 percent of accidents were caused by drivers who were making a left hand turn in front of the motorcyclist. Nearly 4,000 motorcyclists die each year nationwide, creating more awareness, training, and education for riders can be paramount in saving future lives.
