KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More motorcyclists on the roads, means an increase in vehicular accidents.
FOX 4 spoke to two motorcycle operators who were involved in accidents that sent them to the hospital and are now urging all of us to drive carefully.
With temperatures on the rise many people are hitting the roads on two wheels instead of four. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month and safety experts are urging you to drive with caution.
“A deer came between us barely missing my husband, and I had just enough time to start breaking and hit the deer and down I went,” said Teresa Rogers, who has been riding a motorcycle for 24 years.
“I turned a little too wide, at the same time one of the hospital buses was pulling out to make a right hand turn, so we collided,” said Jennifer Norman, who got into an accident two weeks after buying her new bike.
Rogers and Norman are just two of many motorcycle riders who have been in an accident.
“It’s not if you go down, it’s when you go down,” said Rogers.
In light of recent motorcycle accidents leading to fatalities, motorcycle safety experts are hoping this serves as a reminder to drive with care.
“Our goal is to save people’s lives,” said Clarence Wildes, the owner of Rolling Wheels Training Center.
Wildes is certified in Missouri to teach people how to ride motorcycles as safely as possible.
“On a motorcycle, all you have is your riding gear, your skill, and your knowledge,” he said.
Wildes says after this long winter, bikers need to refresh their skills and drivers need to remember that motorcycles will be back on the roads.
“If car drivers would be more vigilant, then more accidents can be avoided,” he added.
“I went down at 70 miles an hour,” said Rogers. “I ended up breaking my collar bone, the upper rib bones, I had a lot of soft tissue damage to my hand and left foot.”
“I had numerous scratches on my helmet. I had bruises to my legs, and to my arms, and a twisted wrist,” Norman said.
Both Rogers and Norman say their gear saved their lives, but hope that drivers are on the look-out because not everyone is so lucky.
“Put the cell phones away, we’re out there, watch for us,” Rogers said.
For more information on motorcycle safety see the information below:
Motorcycle experts recommend motorcyclists also complete some type of training before getting out on the road. There are 29 training locations in Missouri. You can find the one nearest you at www.mmsp.org.
For more information, visit www.saveMOlives.com or Facebook and Twitter at SaveMOLives.
