Motorists urged to be cautious as more motorcyclists head out
Over the past three days, two motorcycle drivers were killed in separate crashes in the area.
Joshua M. Brown, 30, of Carmichaels, died in a crash on Route 21 in Jefferson Township, Greene County, on Saturday. And on Monday, Kevin Glover, 34, of Uniontown, died when the motorcycle he was operating collided with a car on Route 40 in Uniontown.
As warmer weather beckons more motorcyclists to get out on the road, Emily Stambaugh, safety press officer for state Department of Transportation District 12, said it’s critical that drivers of all vehicles on the roadway stay focused and alert.
“For motorcyclists, that means wearing DOT-compliant helmets and protective gear, while drivers should keep an eye out for smaller vehicles that may be harder to see,” she said.
According to PennDOT data, fewer than 1% of the vehicles on the road are motorcycles, yet motorcycle drivers account for about 21% of those killed in crashes.
Stambaugh said PennDOT focuses on education and outreach.
“We regularly promote safety messaging aimed at both motorcyclists and drivers. These campaigns emphasize visibility, safe passing, and the importance of looking twice for motorcycles, especially during peak riding months,” she said.
PennDOT also focuses on collaborations with police. A targeted-enforcement campaign running through April 26 is focused on reducing aggressive driving, impaired driving and speeding, said Stambaugh. She said those behaviors “disproportionately impact motorcycle safety.”
The education, enforcement and outreach has led to a drop in motorcycle crashes over the past five years, Stambaugh said.
“While that progress is encouraging,” she said, “motorcyclists remain among the most vulnerable roadway users, particularly as more riders take to the road as the weather gets warmer.”