Bikers seek to boost visibility
Motorcycle accidents are on the rise, and most happen when a driver fails to see the motorcyclist.
“Cars just don’t look for you,” said St. Maries, Idaho, motorcyclist Norman Burch, who’s helping organize a motorcycle awareness rally and parade Saturday down Sherman Avenue in Coeur d’Alene and east on Interstate 90 to Cataldo.
“We even have our headlights on and stuff and they just don’t see you,” Burch said. “With the awareness run, we’re hoping people will see this big group of motorcycles and say, ‘Oh, the motorcycles are out now, so keep an eye out.’ “
Similar events will take place simultaneously in Boise and Idaho Falls as part of a Motorcycle Awareness Month that has been proclaimed by federal, state and local highway safety and law enforcement organizations in Idaho and across the country. Idaho also began running television and radio spots this week reminding drivers to “look twice” for motorcycles.
Ron Shepard, director of Idaho STAR, or Skills Training Advantage for Riders, said, “Research shows over 70 percent of injuries and fatalities were caused by violations of right of way – they pull out in front of ‘em or turn left in front of ‘em.”
That’s what the TV spot shows, in dramatic fashion, along with how to avoid that by looking twice. Shepard said he’s already had four inquiries from other states interested in running Idaho’s commercials.
The STAR program provides training for motorcyclists around the state, and it’s proven popular. Riders under age 21 are required to pass the course to ride; it’s optional for adults.
Shepard noted that since the STAR program started in 1996, Idaho’s motorcycle registrations have jumped by 77 percent, while fatalities are up 45 percent. While accident and fatality rates still are troubling, “it suggests that the STAR training is making a huge difference,” Shepard said.
Burch said he’s not surprised at the surge in Idaho motorcycle registrations, which passed the 60,000 mark at the end of 2005.
“You see motorcycles everywhere when it’s a warm day,” he said. “There’s a lot more riders out there than there was five years ago.”
For more information on Saturday’s activities, call Burch at (208) 582-2262. To learn more about Idaho STAR, go to www.idahostar.org.