ALEA shares driving tips for National Motorcycle and Bicycle Safety Month

Taylor Mitchell
·2 min read

ALABAMA (WHNT) — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is sharing some tips for staying safe while sharing the roads with motorcycles and bicycles.

The month of May is National Motorcycle and Bicycle Safety Awareness Month and the agency said it is taking time this month to share tips for how drivers can safely share the road with motorcyclists and bicyclists.

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ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said he safely sharing the road requires a heightened concern for safety from both people driving in a car or truck and people riding on a motorcycle or bike.

“Every year, Alabama’s roads welcome an increasing number of bicyclists and motorcyclists, enhancing the need for motorists to operate their vehicles with a heightened road-safety mindset,” He said. “Motorcycles and bicycles are smaller and can be harder to see than other vehicles and have very different capabilities and vulnerabilities. It’s equally important that bicyclists and motorcyclists recognize they are less visible and must be extremely vigilant, especially during low light hours. We encourage everyone using Alabama’s roadways to maintain a high level of awareness and respect for one another, so we all make it home safely.”

As a way to help people develop that heightened road safety mindset, ALEA is sharing several tips for motorists:

  • Always check mirrors and blind spots for motorcyclists and bicyclists before entering or leaving a lane of traffic.

  • Provide ample following distance when behind motorcycles and bicycles to ensure you can react if they stop suddenly.

  • Be particularly cautious at intersections, a common site for vehicle and motorcycle/bicycle collisions.

  • Be patient when traveling behind a bicyclist and give them space when passing. Alabama law requires motorists to allow a minimum of three feet of clearance between their vehicle and the bicycle they are passing on the road.

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The agency also shared tips for motorcyclists and bicyclists:

  • Always wear appropriate safety gear, including helmets that meet the U.S. Department of Transportation standards.

  • Use turn signals for every turn or lane change, even if you think no one will see it.

  • Remain visible at all times by wearing reflective clothing and keeping headlights on in low visibility conditions.

  • Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.

  • Yield to pedestrians, just as a driver would. Pedestrians have the right-of-way within marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections.

ALEA said those looking for more information on motorcycle safety can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website here.

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