NEW YORK — The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) is reminding motorists about motorcycle safety during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
This reminder comes as preliminary data from 2021 shows a 50% increase in fatal motorcycle crashes from 2019, according to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR) at the University at Albany's Rockefeller College.
“The rise of fatal motorcycle crashes is a harsh reminder to both motorists and riders that we must share the road responsibly,” GTSC Chair and DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said. “The crash data we cite are not just numbers. They are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. I want everyone to enjoy New York’s beautiful riding season but to do so safely and responsibly.”
In 2021, ITSMR data shows that 204 people were killed in 198 crashes. So far in 2022, ITSMR data reports 220 injuries and 9 fatalities. Western New York had one fatal motorcycle accident on Friday.
GTSC is promoting motorcycle safety tips online, with public service announcements and education events throughout the state.
“We do much more than teach our students how to operate a motorcycle. We train our students how to be conspicuous on the road with both lane position as well as wearing the proper protective high visibility gear, especially a helmet that meets DOT specifications. There are many lifesaving skills taught, both mental and physical," Motorcycle Safety Foundation program manager Ben Zadrozny said.
