You may have noticed there are more motorcycles on the road today than ever before. There are several reasons for this.

• Good weather
• Baby boomers
• Economics

When the weather is pleasant many bikes are begin to come out. Sales of new motorcycles have been climbing for several years as baby boomers get back into riding now that the kids are grown. Economics also plays a part, as it is far less expensive to put gas in a 40 mpg bike than a 10 mpg SUV. The more bikes that are on the road, sadly means there will probably be a record number of crashes involving a car and a motorcycle. The laws of physics rarely favor the motorcyclist in these encounters.

There most certainly are more cars and trucks on the road than motorcycles. Being aware of the vehicles around you is the first step in preventing an accident. The federal government commissioned a study to determine the causes of motorcycle crashes in the late 1970s. The Hurt Report (1980) listed the two major causes of collisions between a car and motorcycle were the following.

• The car turning left into the path of the motorcycle.
• The car turning into the path of the motocycle from the right.

Certainly drivers would not do this on purpose. The usual excuse is that “I never saw the motorcycle.” Unfortunately, not all motorcyclists wear bright colored clothing and drive so other drivers can see them. Jeans, a black jacket and black helmet are still the outfit of choice for many bikers. While that look adds to the biker’s image, those colors do not help a motorcyclist stand out in traffic.

Here are a few suggestions to help drivers avoid a metal-bending encounter.

• Watch for motorcycles. Simply realize there will be many motorcycles sharing the road with you and actively look for them.
• Look around large vehicles. Look for the motorcycle that may be hidden behind a larger vehicle when making a left turn. Vehicles such as UPS trucks and Lincoln Navigators do an amazing job of blocking your view of the traffic situation behind them.
• Double check your “blind spots” prior to changing lanes.
• Put your cellular phone away. A December 2002 study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis suggests that drivers talking on cell phones were responsible for approximately 6 percent of traffic accidents in the United States.
• Allow more following distance. Motorcyclists often downshift instead of applying the brake and, therefore, you might not notice them slowing down.

In summary, be careful. As the American Motorcyclist Association campaign says, “Look twice, save a life.” That person on the bike in the next lane may be your banker, dentist or neighbor.