Be aware of motorcyclists Published May 10, 2013 By Al Lederman 412th Test Wing Ground Safety EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- May is National Motorcycle Awareness Month. While the weather in Southern California remains fairly nice year-round for riding, mid-to-late spring brings sunny days, warmer temperatures outside and more riders preparing their bikes for the open road. The campaign is to remind car and truck drivers to be alert for motorcyclists and share the road. According to the California Highway Patrol, most fatal and serious injuries occur at intersections when drivers are turning. Vehicle drivers should always remember to take a second look. The following are tips vehicle drivers can be aware of. A motorcyclist may look farther away than they really are and speed can be difficult to judge. Motorcyclists downshift when slowing, so you may not see the brake light right away. They may adjust lane positions to be seen or avoid debris in the road - it is not always reckless behavior. Not all turn signals on a motorcycle are self-cancelling and riders, especially beginners, may forget to turn them off. Use the 2-second rule when following a motorcycle. Seeing only the grill of a car in a side view mirror, can make the rider uneasy. Because motorcycles are smaller, they may look farther away than they actually are. Some drivers unconsciously do not look for motorcyclists. They are looking for large moving objects--other vehicles. As the saying goes, "Look Twice, Save a Life, Motorcycles Are Everywhere." After all, the person under the helmet could be someone you know.