Henderson County law enforcement officers have worked several fatality motorcycle wrecks in recent years and would like to stem the trend.
The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign is underway to alert drivers to the risks that motorcyclists face and suggests safety precautions motorists can take to protect motorcyclists and themselves. The campaign reminds drivers that motorcycles are small and can be hard to see.
In 2019, 412 motorcyclists were killed in Texas, and more than 1,800 were seriously injured.
Henderson County had eight fatal motorcycle wrecks between 2017-2019 due to various causes. Five were in the unincorporated, one was in Athens, one in Gun Barrel City and the other in Brownsboro. Law enforcement has worked two additional fatality wrecks in 2020.
TxDOT informs that on average, one motorcyclist dies every day on Texas roads, and transportation officials are urging Texans to exercise caution and limit distractions while on the road, as traffic increases during the summer months.
“The six-month period from May through October is the deadliest for motorcycle riders and accounted for 61 percent of motorcycle fatalities in Texas last year,” said James Bass, TxDOT Executive Director. “That’s why we are urging drivers to Look Twice for Motorcycles-there’s a life riding on it.”
A cross at the intersection of U.S. 175 East and Loop 7 bears the name of a motorcyclist who died in a collision with a pickup.
Texas Department of Public Safety reports about the 2015 wreck show that 54-year-old James Scholars' motorcycle hit a Ford F-150 whose driver failed to yield the right of way. Scholars, aboard a 2011 Harley Davidson, never had a chance and died at the scene.
In May 2020, a 46-year old Malakoff man died west of Athens on Loop 7. The other 2020 motorcycle death involved a chase by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department that began on U.S. Highway 175 and ended on Farm-to-Market Road 316 North..
TxDOT wants drivers to follow these safety tips to prevent vehicle/motorcycle crashes:
• Take extra care when making a left turn. It’s easy to misjudge the speed and proximity of an oncoming motorcycle. It’s safest to let the motorcycle pass to avoid turning in front of the rider.
• Pay special attention at intersections. Close to one-third of motorcycle fatalities happen at roadway intersections.
• Give driving your full attention. Even a momentary distraction, such as answering a phone call or changing the radio station, can have deadly consequences.
• Look twice when changing lanes. Check mirrors, check blind spots and always use turn signals.
• Give motorcyclists room when passing them. Move over to the passing lane and don’t crowd the motorcyclist’s full lane.
• Stay back. If you are behind a motorcycle, always maintain a safe following distance. When a motorcyclist downshifts instead of applying the brake to slow down, it can catch drivers off guard since there are no brake lights to signal that they are reducing their speed.
• Slow down. As always, please obey the posted speed limit.
August 04, 2020
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Motorcycle deaths concern TxDOT | News | athensreview.com - Athens Daily Review
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