Compared to the same time one year ago the number of accidents involving motorcycles is up significantly. Nebraska Department of Highway Safety Administrator Fred Zwonechek says there are several reasons for the increase in accident numbers. He says first of all with the return of nice weather there are more motorcycles on the road. With that alone the risk increases. He says about 50% of all vehicle – motorcycle accidents are the bikers fault and the other 50% are the fault of vehicle drivers.
Zwonechek says motorcyclists need to take every precaution and always drive on the defense. He says often times the driver of a vehicle that hits a motorcycle claim they didn’t see them. That is why motorcyclists need to be as visible as possible. That may include wearing a neon green or blaze orange safety vest similar to what construction crews wear. He says a number of motorcyclists are making that switch.
Zwonechek says drivers need to pay attention to the road at all times and that means leaving cell phones alone and no fiddling with gadgets in vehicles. He says all the screens and lights inside vehicles can be distracting so drivers need to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
Since June 1st there has been a motorcycle accident in the Omaha metro area nearly every day. Three have been fatal.