Automotive

Watch Out For Motorcycles? New Road Signs Coming.

motorcycle-signThere are many different safety signs along the road that we’ve all become accustomed to watching out for: stop signs, yield signs, no u-turn signs, crosswalk signs, etc etc. We know where to watch out for pedestrians, crossing traffic, bikes, falling rocks, and even deer.

But what about motorcycles?

Programs Working to Increase Motorcycle Awareness

None of us are used to seeing signs on the roads that tell us to watch out for motorcycles. But with the introduction of a new program, that is going to start changing in the very near future. You see, Allstate has launched a program called the “Once is Never Enough” (ONE) program that is working to increase driver awareness of motorcycles on the road.

Allstate’s ONE program, which was launched in 2009, is working to “raise intersection awareness.” According to Allstate, “on average, three motorcyclists are killed every day at intersections in the United States.” They feel that if they are able to increase awareness of motorcyclists on the road, that can help to prevent many of these fatal accidents. Dave Perewitz, a custom motorcycle builder, paired up with Allstate, going around the country to help increase awareness of Allstate’s ONE program and the importance of watching out for motorcyclists on the road. He explained, “When you’re on the road, you have to be aware that motorcycles are out there. I’ve seen too many riders get hurt because someone didn’t look twice at an intersection.”

And that is exactly what Allstate feels the main problem is: that drivers just aren’t looking for motorcycles on the road. We’re all used to looking for other cars and trucks on the road. Not only are we used to looking for them, but they are obviously very large and easy to spot. On the other hand, we are not as aware of motorcycles that are sharing the road with us. These motorcycles are much smaller than other vehicles, and they can fit much more easily into our blind areas. The ONE program is working to help drivers become more conscious of motorcycles on the road, actively looking out for them while driving and especially while in dangerous intersection areas.

Motorcycle Safety Signage Coming Soon

Allstate has worked for the past two years to design road safety signs to alert drivers of motorcyclists on the road. These signs are diamond shaped and yellow, so they look very similar to many of the other road safety signs that we are accustomed to seeing. These signs say “Watch for Motorcyclists” on them, and they were designed to be easily recognizable and a quick and easy reminder to drivers to watch out for motorcycles on the road.

Intersections have been found to be by far the most hazardous areas to drive in, resulting in 46% of all multi-vehicle crashes. So, the majority of these motorcycle safety signs will be installed in intersections. The first permanent motorcycle warning sign was installed earlier this month in Strongsville, Ohio. Over this next year, signs will be installed in the following 25 cities:

  • Albany, NY
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Charlotte, NC
  • Chicago, IL
  • Cincinnati, OH
  • Columbus, OH
  • Dallas, TX
  • Denver, CO
  • Houston, TX
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Miami, FL
  • Nashville, TN
  • Orlando, FL
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Phoenix, AZ
  • Sacramento, CA
  • San Diego, CA
  • San Francisco, CA
  • Salt Lake City, UT
  • Seattle, WA
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Tampa, FL
  • Washington, D.C.

So, if you live in any of these cities, be sure to be on the lookout for these signs in the near future. The ONE program is currently working with traffic authorities in these cities to pinpoint high traffic or high danger intersections and work to get the road signs put up their as soon as possible. With these road signs installed, they are hoping to “start a movement to help decrease motorcycle-auto collisions in the future.”

This article was written by Nicole. She writes about road safety and safety signage.

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