Commentary by Alan Lederman
Air Force Test Center Ground Safety
7/16/2012 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The weather in Southern California provides an opportunity for motorcyclists to ride year-round, unlike other parts of the country. At Edwards, as the weather gets warmer, more motorcyclists choose to ride. Even then, cars and trucks still outnumber motorcycles on California roads. Over half of motorcycle accidents involve another four-wheel vehicle. Below are a few tips for car and truck drivers to keep in mind while driving:
Be sure to LOOK for motorcyclists. Some drivers just forget they exist and don't look for them
Because of a motorcyclists smaller size, they may look farther away
Motorcyclists downshift when slowing; you may not see the brake light right away. Keep a 2-3 second following distance behind motorcyclists.
Motorcyclists may adjust lane position to be seen or avoid debris. It's not always reckless behavior.
Some motorcycles do not have self-cancelling turn signals and may forget to turn them off, especially when new to riding.
Lastly, the person under the helmet could be someone you know!
