May 2020 Press Release

Safe Communities announced today that there have been two fatal crashes in Wood County this year compared to six at this time last year.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month / Get Up to Speed on Motorcycles  Motorcyclists and motorists can work together to save lives.

To help reduce motorcycle collisions and injuries and to help save lives, NHTSA has launched the new Get Up to Speed on Motorcycles campaign to help motorists understand standard motorcycle driving behaviors and to learn how to drive safely around motorcycles on our roadways.

Motorcyclists Are at Great Risk on Our Roadways.

• With thousands of deaths each year, motorcyclists are significantly over-represented in traffic crashes and fatalities.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists accounted for nearly 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2015, while motorcycles make up just 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States.
• In 2015, 4,976 motorcyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes – an 8 percent increase from the 4,594 killed in 2014. And more than 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
• Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 27 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash, and 5 times more likely to be injured.
• Even the smallest momentary lapse in a vehicle driver’s awareness can result in the death of an unseen motorcyclist.

Join Wood County Safe Communities to Get Up to Speed on Motorcycles!  Be aware and Watch for Motorcycles.

For More Information:
Lt. Angel Burgos, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator: 419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu