Motorcycle safety - Classes kick off at Pope
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --
With warmer weather, more motorcyclists will be on the road. What can "cagers" do to be ready to share the road?
Cagers? Yep, Cagers! That is motorcycle rider lingo for someone who drives a car, truck, etc. These enclosed vehicles are referred to as a "cage" of sorts, compared to the motorcyclist who is free and unrestrained, at least that is the perception.
One thing's for sure; it is beginning to look a lot like spring. As the weather gets warmer, more two-wheel vehicles will begin to see the light of day, and the "caged" and "uncaged" will compete for positions on the road. This increase in motorcycle riders also substantially increases the likelihood of an accident occurring.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcycle accidents are increasing to the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. In 2007, 5,154 people died in motorcycle accidents, up 6.6 percent from 4,837 in 2006. One explanation is the popularity of motorcycles is increasing to levels not seen in 30 years. Logically speaking, with an increase of motorcycles on the road, the likelihood of motorcycle accidents also increases. It doesn't have to be this way.
In high school driver's education class, everyone is taught to drive defensively. As an added precaution, military motorcycle riders receive additional training before getting on their bikes. Unfortunately, at times everyone makes the mistake of driving offensively, driving as if they are the only ones on the road. The reasons for this mentality are too numerous to list in a single article, but drivers need to know that this offensive behavior can lead to dumb mistakes. One common mistake is only glancing instead of actually looking before changing lanes, making a turn or pulling out of a driveway or parking lot.
Regardless of the reasons for driving this way, there is one irrefutable difference in driving a car or truck as described above versus a driving a motorcycle. The difference is when a two-wheeled vehicle collides with a four-wheeled vehicle in an accident, the car or truck can kill the motorcycle rider. Of course, there are instances where the opposite has happened, but statistically, it is nowhere near the same. Because motorcycles are smaller, they can be harder to see. Most people have heard responses from the driver of the car/truck involved in such cases: "I just didn't see them," or "They came out of nowhere."
North Carolina actually has a year-round riding season, but as the weather gets warmer, the riding season kicks into full gear. Our lead-in motorcycle safety campaign this spring is "Your car can KILL...Please look out for motorcyclists." Look twice and save a life. This applies to all drivers - "caged" and "uncaged."
For information on enrolling in the below riding courses, contact the 43rd AW Safety Office at 394-8395.
Pope's 2009 BRC/ERC Training Schedule:
April 6-7 - Basic Rider Course instructors: Master Sgt. Murray, Tech. Sgt. Todd
April 17- Experienced Rider Course instructors: Tech. Sgt. Fitzgerald, Sergeant Murray
May 4-5 - BRC instructors: Tech. Sgt. McKinney, Sergeant Murray
May 15 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Todd, Sergeant Fitzgerald
June 8-9 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Todd, Sergeant McKinney
June 19 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant Murray
July 6-7 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant Todd
July 17 - ERC instructors: Sergeant McKinney, Sergeant Murray
Aug. 3-4 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Murray, Sergeant Fitzgerald
Aug. 14 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Todd, Sergeant McKinney
Sept. 8-9 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant McKinney
Sept. 18 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Murray, Sergeant Fitzgerald
Oct. 5-6 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Murray, Sergeant Todd
Oct. 16 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant McKinney
Cagers? Yep, Cagers! That is motorcycle rider lingo for someone who drives a car, truck, etc. These enclosed vehicles are referred to as a "cage" of sorts, compared to the motorcyclist who is free and unrestrained, at least that is the perception.
One thing's for sure; it is beginning to look a lot like spring. As the weather gets warmer, more two-wheel vehicles will begin to see the light of day, and the "caged" and "uncaged" will compete for positions on the road. This increase in motorcycle riders also substantially increases the likelihood of an accident occurring.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcycle accidents are increasing to the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. In 2007, 5,154 people died in motorcycle accidents, up 6.6 percent from 4,837 in 2006. One explanation is the popularity of motorcycles is increasing to levels not seen in 30 years. Logically speaking, with an increase of motorcycles on the road, the likelihood of motorcycle accidents also increases. It doesn't have to be this way.
In high school driver's education class, everyone is taught to drive defensively. As an added precaution, military motorcycle riders receive additional training before getting on their bikes. Unfortunately, at times everyone makes the mistake of driving offensively, driving as if they are the only ones on the road. The reasons for this mentality are too numerous to list in a single article, but drivers need to know that this offensive behavior can lead to dumb mistakes. One common mistake is only glancing instead of actually looking before changing lanes, making a turn or pulling out of a driveway or parking lot.
Regardless of the reasons for driving this way, there is one irrefutable difference in driving a car or truck as described above versus a driving a motorcycle. The difference is when a two-wheeled vehicle collides with a four-wheeled vehicle in an accident, the car or truck can kill the motorcycle rider. Of course, there are instances where the opposite has happened, but statistically, it is nowhere near the same. Because motorcycles are smaller, they can be harder to see. Most people have heard responses from the driver of the car/truck involved in such cases: "I just didn't see them," or "They came out of nowhere."
North Carolina actually has a year-round riding season, but as the weather gets warmer, the riding season kicks into full gear. Our lead-in motorcycle safety campaign this spring is "Your car can KILL...Please look out for motorcyclists." Look twice and save a life. This applies to all drivers - "caged" and "uncaged."
For information on enrolling in the below riding courses, contact the 43rd AW Safety Office at 394-8395.
Pope's 2009 BRC/ERC Training Schedule:
April 6-7 - Basic Rider Course instructors: Master Sgt. Murray, Tech. Sgt. Todd
April 17- Experienced Rider Course instructors: Tech. Sgt. Fitzgerald, Sergeant Murray
May 4-5 - BRC instructors: Tech. Sgt. McKinney, Sergeant Murray
May 15 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Todd, Sergeant Fitzgerald
June 8-9 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Todd, Sergeant McKinney
June 19 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant Murray
July 6-7 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant Todd
July 17 - ERC instructors: Sergeant McKinney, Sergeant Murray
Aug. 3-4 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Murray, Sergeant Fitzgerald
Aug. 14 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Todd, Sergeant McKinney
Sept. 8-9 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant McKinney
Sept. 18 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Murray, Sergeant Fitzgerald
Oct. 5-6 - BRC instructors: Sergeant Murray, Sergeant Todd
Oct. 16 - ERC instructors: Sergeant Fitzgerald, Sergeant McKinney
