Motorcycle safety Month: Experts offer advice on staying protected while riding 

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Spring and summer are peak seasons for motorcycle riders, and safety experts are urging all drivers to stay alert and share the road responsibly. 

Experts say a key rule to ensure safety is for drivers to slow down, pay attention, and look twice for motorcyclists when changing lanes or entering a roadway. 

In addition, motorcyclists are also responsible and are encouraged to wear proper safety gear, ride at an appropriate speed and never ride impaired. 

“Being a motorcycle rider, it's exhilarating and fun, but we need to make sure that we are safe, that we're adhering to the laws and watching our speed,” said Frank Till with the St. Joseph Safety Council.  

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, although total roadway fatalities declined, motorcyclist deaths reached a record high in Missouri. Early data shows, 175 motorcyclists lost their lives on Missouri roads in 2023—a 14% rise from the 153 fatalities reported in 2022. 

MoDOT suggests that the rise in motorcyclist fatalities may be linked to the repeal of the universal helmet law, as well as a significant number of riders operating without proper licenses. 

"I can’t emphasize enough how critical it is to wear DOT-approved helmets while riding,” said Till. “As motorcyclists, we always have to take extra precautions because our lives are on the line and we don’t have the same protection. Cars are designed to absorb impact in a crash, but on a motorcycle, you're completely exposed.” 

Key safety tips for motorists include checking mirrors for motorcycles before changing lanes or navigating intersections. 

Till emphasized that the responsibility for improving safety lies with both drivers and motorcyclists, urging all motorists to remember the phrase: “Look Twice, Save a Life.”