LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — 18-year-old Jillian Pendergrass died at UK Medical Center following a motorcycle collision into a light pole on Man o' War near Armstrong Mill Road. The coroner's report says the incident happened around 12:00 a.m. Monday morning.
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and reports from the US Department of Transportation say that motorcyclists are over-represented in traffic collisions.
AAA Bluegrass Spokeswoman Lori Weaver-Hawkins, says, "We look at things like, you know, it can be caused by behavior on the part of the cyclists, it can be caused by behavior on the part of the motorists and if another vehicle is involved, and of course environmental factors involved."
It's not clear what caused this morning's collision, but AAA Bluegrass explains that there are several resources available for motorcyclists to help them stay safe on the roadways.
Weaver-Hawkins says. "Whenever I talk motorcycle safety, I’m urging motorcyclists to wear a helmet and to drive safely, don't drive aggressively, don't speed, that speed is a huge factor as well."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that each year around 1,800 people that are involved in motorcycle collisions are saved because of their helmets. They also say that an additional 800 could be saved if they had on the proper protection.
Taylor Crawford, also known as "Crawfish" on social media, says, "Looking over your bike often is a great practice, along with looking far ahead while you're riding, looking where you're going. You're gonna go where you look. You know if you're looking off the road, you're gonna veer that way. So, you have to stay very vigilant and keep your eyes where you want to go."
Crawford has been riding motorcycles for a few years. He shares that he started the Facebook community "Bluegrass Sport Bikes" to connect veteran riders and new riders and to promote safety on and off the road.
He says, "Finding a mentor is huge. If you can find someone that is experienced and safe to teach you how to ride, what to do, you know, to answer your small questions. That is the largest thing I would stress to everyone is, try to find someone that you get along with, that you vibe with well, and go learn from them."
AAA also recommends riding with an experienced rider and taking training courses to learn more.
As of today, The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety reports that there have been 29 deaths attributed to motorcycle crashes so far this year — seven of those have been in Lexington. AAA Bluegrass shared that resources on motorcyclist safety can be found on www.AAA.com, Ride.KY.gov, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
