Motorcycle riders in Georgia have a lot at risk. They do not have the structure of an enclosed vehicle to protect them if a crash occurs. Instead, they are physically exposed and therefore vulnerable to severe injury. The sad truth is that motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely than those in larger vehicles to die in a crash.
Georgia state authorities have taken some steps to try to reduce the inherent risk involved in riding a motorcycle. Recognition of those efforts has culminated in a six-figure grant that could help fund motorcycle safety initiatives.
Who issued the grant?
A recent Governor’s Office of Highway Safety grant to the Georgia Department of Driver Services Motorcycle Safety Program could help fight that trend. The grant, worth $144,021.56, helped to fund additional education and public safety interventions across Georgia.
The efforts to curtail tragic motorcycle crashes involve widespread awareness campaigns for those operating larger vehicles and more focus on proper education for those who register motorcycles and obtain the necessary licensing to legally drive them. In theory, with more motorcycle riders aware of the risks and more drivers seeking to avoid motorcycle collisions, the rate of severe and fatal motorcycle crashes in the state could potentially decline. The grant could potentially help reduce the number of preventable motorcycle deaths that occur in Georgia each year.
In the meantime, motorcycle riders should protect themselves by carefully following traffic laws. The proper maintenance of motorcycles and a rider’s safety equipment are also crucial, as safety gear may be the last line of protection when a crash does occur. Additionally, motorcyclists may want to consider learning defensive driving as a way to improve their overall safety in traffic. The state can help by making other motorists aware of their obligation to safely share the road with motorcycles and by enforcing traffic laws.
After a motorcycle collision, someone injured in the incident may need to consider filing an insurance claim or possibly a personal injury lawsuit. Those who lose a loved one in a preventable motorcycle collision might want to consider whether they have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit. Holding motorists accountable when they cause motorcycle collisions can help make traffic awareness more of a priority for people.