Share the road...watch for motorcycles

The facts of motorcycle crashes:  Provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation:  (2010)

• 51% of all motorcycle fatalities collied with another type of motor vehicle.
• 1,999 of the two vehicle fatal crashes involved motorcycles and another type of motor vehicle.
• In 770 of these fatal crashes the other type of vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing or overtaking another vehicle.
• In 446 of these crashes both the motorcycle and the other vehicle were going straight.

It's not just the young ones who are hurt in motorcycle crashes.  Inexperience plays a factor but some to not start riding until later in life. 

borrowed from http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/Motorcycles

• The average age of motorcycle rider fatalities is 42.
• The 40+ age group makes up 39% of motorcycle fatalities.

This age group are MOTHERS, FATHERS, SONS, DAUGHTERS, AUNTS, UNCLES!!!  This age group has MANY people in their lives that need them to come home safely and it is up to everyone to do their part in making this happen!

Yes there are other factors in motorcycle crashes and fatalities such as speeding, alcohol and, yes the rider was, not wearing a helmet.  These factors are out of YOUR control.  What is in YOUR control is always looking out for motorcycles when you are behind the wheel.  As drivers it is OUR responsibility to drive safe and protect ourselves and everyone else on the road.  We cannot control all factors but we do have the ability to control what WE do and how WE drive.

Please drive safe and watch for motorcycles.

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Distracted Drivers and what they mean to you

This video is a MUST watch for anyone who drives!
Lets begin with the three types of distractions:

• Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel
• Visual: Taking your eyes off the road
• Cognitive: Taking you mind off driving

18% of Fatalities were directly related to cell phone use.

You are 23 Times more likely to be involved in a crash if you are texting vs a non-distracted driver.

37% of brain activity is REDUCED while driving and using a cell phone.

The types of distractions are:

Texting

Using a cell phone or smartphone

Eating and drinking

Talking to passengers

Grooming

Reading, including maps

Using a navigation system

Watching a video

Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

Now we need to re-visit the types of distraction and compare it with texting:

Manual: you hand(s) are off the wheel to text.

Visual: it doesn't matter how good you are at texting you will still have to take your eyes off the road to text.

Cognitive: I have received texts and thought "was any thought put into this text" but lets face it...to write you must think and when doing this you are taking your mind off your driving.

Imagine sitting at a Bronco game...now imagine the length of the football field. That is how far you drive in the average 4.6 seconds, going 55 miles per hour, it takes to send or receive a text.

Texting and driving is illegal in Colorado. To find out what the laws in other states are visit Distracted.org.

Let's be honest, cell phones have made our lives easier: we can conduct business between meetings, we can find our children easier, we can schedule our appointments, we can facebook, we can let our family know we are running late...and it can kill us! Something so simple, something that we NOW KNOW will save lives yet we just don't understand the dangers because "it will never happen to us." It may not have happened to you...but to the 18% it did happen to it is REAL.

In 2010 there were 3092 FATALITIES involving distracted drivers....there were 416,000 INJURED because of distracted drivers. These numbers are REAL....and just because it hasn't happened to you I am sure if you look around you know someone who it has happened to.

It is right there, the facts are REAL....and it is so simple to fix the problem.

Take the pledge

Information provided by Distracted.gov