(LEX 18) — Motorcycle season in central Kentucky is off to a rough start. A crash Thursday morning in Lexington on Winchester Road was at least the sixth the city has had in the past month. That means the area is maintaining last year’s rate.
"Over 1,500 crashes that involved motorcycles (last year)," Lori Weaver-Hawkins of AAA Blue Grass said of the numbers kept by Kentucky State Police. "Those crashes resulted in 1,072 injuries and 111 deaths."
Weaver-Hawkins said she was not including mopeds or scooters in those numbers, which would add to the tally.
As the area moves into the late spring and summer months, drivers can expect to see more motorcycles, and this increase alone will contribute to more accidents.
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and the recent rash of accidents is why Weaver-Hawkins wanted to address the matter now.
No matter the year or the totals, the reasons for these accidents are usually the same.
"Primarily, motorcyclists speeding, but also vehicles as well," Weaver-Hawkins said.
She also alluded to the issue of potholes that haven’t yet been filled and patched.
"A lot of them around the city, so that's something to be mindful of," Weaver-Hawkins said.
She said motorcyclists need to follow the rules of the road, just like drivers of four-wheel vehicles.
"These crashes that are occurring, we all play a role. They're all preventable, but we all have to do our part," Weaver-Hawkins said.
Often, an accident can happen when a motorcycle swerves to avoid a road hazard, which is another thing for drivers to be watching for. Other factors include a cyclist weaving in and out of traffic or not being big enough to be seen in a side-view mirror blind spot.
