GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION

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GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION Motorist
Awareness Division

• Think Motorcycles Seminar

November 2008
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Overview

• The purpose of this seminar is to make you more
  Familiar with motorcycles. In this presentation
  we will discuss
• Why Familiarity Helps
• Who Rides Motorcycles
• Road Hazards
• Why Motorists Collide with Motorcycles
• Blind Spots
• Driver Distractions
• How You Can Help

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Familiarity

• Why Familiarity?
• Research shows drivers who also ride motorcycles
  and those with family members or close friends
  who ride are more likely to observe motorcyclists
  and less likely to collide with them.
• (Brooks, 1990)
• Becoming familiar with motorcycles reduces the
  odds that one day you will have a collision with
  one.

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Familiarity

• 1955 - 450,000 motorcycles registered in U.S.
• 1970 - 1.1 million motorcycles registered in U.S.
• 1975 - 5 million motorcycles registered in U.S.
• Today estimates of motorcycles registered in the
  U.S. alone exceed 10 million. There are more
  motorcycles on the road today than ever before.
• Motorcycles are more difficult to detect in
  traffic Motorists need to Think Motorcycles
  train themselves to look for them.

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Familiarity

• Be aware most crashes involving motorcyclists are
  due to the failure of motorists to detect and
  recognize motorcycles in traffic.
• 75 of motorcycle crashes involve another
  vehicle.
• 66 of motorcycle crashes with other vehicles are
  caused by the motorist failing to yield the
  right-of-way.
• Over 40 of all motorcycle crashes occur at
  intersections.

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Who Rides Motorcycles

• The motorcycling community is a diverse cross
  section of our population, who ride for many
  different reasons.
• Many people are turning to small
• economical motorcycles
• for commuting.

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Who Rides Motorcycles

• Numerous people are turning to
• V-Twin cruisers for commuting and
• local cruising enjoyment. A fun
• economical form of transportation.
• Sport Bike enthusiasts use this type of
  motorcycle for commuting sport riding.

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Who Rides Motorcycles

• Those riding a motorcycle like this might be
  commuting, they might be out for a local cruise
  or be vacationing on a long distance tour. These
  motorcycles combine the features of comfort,
  handling, and great fuel economy.

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Who Rides Motorcycles
Some people convert their motorcycles to three
wheels like the Trike conversion on the left or
the side-car on the right. These machines are
still motorcycles offering better stability, and
fuel economy equal to that of economical
automobiles.
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Who Rides Motorcycles

• The motorcycling community is a diverse cross
  section of our population.
• Anyone might ride a motorcycle! Sometimes even
  children ride as passengers.
• Riders are real people, just like you, with
  families that love and depend on them, just like
  you!
• The motorcyclist next to you in traffic could be
  your childs teacher, your friend, neighbor,
  plumber, doctor, or even one of your family
  members.

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Road Hazards

• Motorcyclists use the entire traffic lane even
  though they occupy only part of the lane at one
  time.

• Motorcyclists may move about in the lane to be
  more visible to other motorists.

• Road hazards having little effect on motorists
  could result in serious consequences for
  motorcyclists.

• A motorcycle may suddenly change direction, slow
  or come to a sudden stop to avoid road hazards.

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Road Hazards

• Road Hazards include animals! Deer, other
  wildlife, and domestic animals at large.
• Animals can damage your car. They can cause
  serious injury or result in a fatality to
  motorcyclists.

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Road Hazards

• Motorcyclists must take evasive action to
  avoid road
• debris. Thrown tire re-treads, boards, animal
  carcasses and other objects can cause a
  motorcyclist to loose control result in a crash.

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Road Hazards
Road Hazards, like this lost muffler, suddenly
appearing in front of a motorcyclist is a serious
event. The rider must take immediate evasive
action. Striking heavy objects like this will
likely result in a motorcycle crash.
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Road Hazards

• Railroad crossings can also pre also
  present hazards to motorcycles.
• What about that loose stuff
• in the left lane?
• A large pothole like this
• can be trouble too!

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Why Motorists Collide with Motorcycles

• Motorists fail to look for motorcycles.
  Motorists are familiar with looking for other
  motorists, not motorcycles.

• Due to their smaller size, motorists often
  misjudge a motorcycles speed distance.

• Driver distractions or inattention.

• Motorcycle is temporarily obscured from
  motorist view as the result of a blind spot.

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Blind Spots

• There are many factors contributing to Blind
  Spots.
• Due to the inherent engineering designs of
  vehicles every motor vehicle has built-in Blind
  Spots.
• Window pillar posts, mirrors, and areas of the
  road not visible in mirrors are Blind Spots found
  in all motor vehicles. Some makes models are
  worse than others.

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Blind Spots

• Additional Blind Spots are sometimes created by
  motorists hanging objects from mirrors, and by
  attaching objects to windshields or windows.
  Anything placed in such a manner obscuring a
  drivers view of the roadway creates a Blind Spot.

• Passengers Pets inside a vehicle can contribute
  to a Blind Spot.

• Factors outside a vehicle such as other vehicles,
  buildings, trees, utility poles, signs, along
  with numerous other objects create temporary
  Blind Spots.

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Blind Spots

• In the left photo, a pillar post creates a
  Blind Spot and completely hides a motorcycle
  rider from the drivers view.
• The right photo shows what was hidden from the
  drivers view.
• Blind Spots can also obscure much larger
  objects!

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Blind Spots
In the left photo, the driver checks
the vehicles left mirror prior to a lane change.
The driver observes no vehicles. A quick check
over the left shoulder, depicted in the photo on
the right, and you can see the motorcyclist was
hidden in the mirrors Blind Spot. A quick look
over the shoulder, left or right, can prevent a
crash!
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Blind Spots
The left photo is an example of Blind
Spots motorists create for themselves. The right
photo depicts what was blocked from view.
If this placard can obscure a dump truck, it can
easily hide a pedestrian, bicyclist or
motorcyclist. Why Risk It?
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Blind Spots

• Every motorist needs to be aware of Blind Spots
  and learn to compensate for them.
• Avoid rolling stops with the quick look, or one
  day the Blind Spot will catch up with you, and
  unfortunately someone else along with you.
• Drive Aware Expect motorcycles or other
  vehicles to be hidden from view in Blind Spots.

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Driver Distractions

• In todays society motorists are diverting more
  more attention away from the primary task of
  the safe operation of their vehicle.

• Passengers, eating, smoking, shaving, applying
  make-up, reading, and managing audio systems are
  all traditional driver distractions.

• Now we add cellular telephones and navigation
  systems to the mix of other distractions.

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Driver Distractions

• The safe operation of your vehicle should be your
  primary concern. Operating a motor vehicle in
  itself is a complex operation requiring
  concentration along with hand, foot and eye
  coordination.
• The more distracted a motorist becomes, the
  greater the odds of a collision.

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How You Can Help

• Think Motorcycles Every time you drive expect
  motorcycles to be on the road with you.
• Make it your practice to actively look for
  motorcycles. In time it will become a habit
  you will reduce the chances of having a collision
  with a motorcyclist.
• Share the Road Be courteous, signal your
  intentions of a turn or lane change. Check the
  Blind Spots before you move.

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How You Can Help

• Give motorcycles more space than you would give
  other vehicles. Remember motorcycles do not have
  protective exteriors like other motor vehicles.
• Allow at least a 3-second following distance
  behind a motorcycle during good driving
  conditions. In poor weather or wet roads increase
  the following distance to 5-seconds.
• Be especially cautious at intersections when
  entering or exiting driveways.

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How You Can Help

• Keep multi-tasking to a minimum Focus on the
  primary task at hand, the safe operation of your
  vehicle.
• Drive Aware Motorcycles are everywhere!
• Have You Seen a Motorcycle Today?

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GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION Motorist
Awareness Division
THANK YOU! And Please - LOOK TWICE!
November 2008