May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program is reminding drivers to "share the road" with motorcyclists, and be extra alert to help keep motorcyclists safe.

Motorcycle-related crashes occur 28 times more frequent than fatalities in other vehicles according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2023, all of the motorcycle crashes in St. Lawrence County involved moderate or serious injury.  Many of the collisions with motorcycles occurred as a result of driver inexperience, failure to yield right-of-way, unsafe speed, and animal actions.

“Motorists need to get into the habit of putting down the phone, avoiding the distractions and remember to look twice for motorcycles when entering the road or at intersections,” said Carrie Conger, Information Specialist for the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program.  “ Remember double-check mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes as you may not have seen the motorcycle the first time.”

“Motorcyclists have responsibilities, too,” Ms. Conger said. “They should always wear protective gear including a DOT regulated helmet, maintain safe speeds and obey traffic laws”

Motorcyclists have all the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle driver on the roadway. This also means that they must follow the same road laws as other vehicles, including keeping a safe distance from other vehicles.

The St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program offers additional tips for drivers to help keep motorcyclists safe on our roadways:

Make sure to maintain an adequate following distance. Motorcycles react more quickly than cars do;

Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic;

Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a motorcycle—motorcycle signals are often not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed;

Stay in your lane. Motorcycles are legally entitled to their own lane of traffic. You are not allowed to drive your automobile in the same lane as a motorcycle, no matter how small or how much extra room there appears to be. Share the road to provide a safe experience for all.

Never drive while distracted or under the influence.

Motorcycle riders are advised to become properly licensed, by successfully completing a DMV-approved motorcycle safety course. Riders can learn to drive defensively while earning a waiver on the road test portion of their New York motorcycle license. Information about these courses, which were developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), can be found on the MSF web site at http://www.nysmsp.org/  or by calling 1-800-446-9227.