May is Motor Cycle Safety Awareness Month

This month is Motor Cycle Safety Awareness Month, which makes sense because May is when the weather gets consistently warm, and when you start seeing more and more motorcycles on the road. According to NationalDayCalendar.com these are some great ways to observe Motor Cycle Safety Awareness Month:

Be alert to riders on the road. Take your time, signal, and check your mirrors.
Leave enough distance between your vehicle and the rider in front of you.
Riders, wear protective gear, obey traffic laws, and maintain your ride.
Take a motorcycle safety course.
Enjoy the ride! For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov/safety/motorcycles.

Photo by Jakub Sisulak on Unsplash

Grass Clippings Can Pose a Real Danger to Motorcycle Riders

One simple thing you can do to help make everyone's ride safer is by making sure to blow your grass clippings towards your yard and not out into the road. According to Lawnstarter.com, grass clippings on the road are so dangerous for motorcycles because the grass is about 85% water and will stick to the road. When a bike hits the grass it's almost like hitting a sheet of ice. They also say it's dangerous for bikes because motorcycles, unlike cars, only have one drive wheel that needs to stay in contact with the ground.

Photo by Gijs Coolen on Unsplash

My dad and brother both have motorcycles and are avid riders in our area. They always wear helmets and proper safety gear, but I still always worry a little about them. I asked them if they ever encountered grass on the road before and they said they had, and that encountering grass on the road is one of the scarier parts of riding because of how easy grass makes it to lose control.

So please be courteous of our local motorcyclists, and as the warm weather continues make sure to keep an extra eye out when you're driving. And keep your grass clippings off the roadways!