The Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) annual Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles campaign urges motorists to take safety precautions to protect motorcyclists and themselves.
“May through October is an especially dangerous period for motorcyclists in Texas,” James Bass, TxDOT executive director, said. “Of all the motorcyclist deaths in Texas during 2020, more than 61 percent happened in that period. It’s so important to remember that these motorcyclists don’t have the same protections that drivers in vehicles have, and that’s why we’re urging all motorists to stay watchful and alert when traveling alongside motorcycles so everyone can reach their destination safely.”
In Texas in 2020, there were 7,481 motorcycle crashes, a 2 percent decrease. A total of 1,856 motorcyclists were seriously injured and 482 were killed, a 17 percent increase compared to 2019.
Statewide, motorcyclists account for 12 percent of all traffic fatalities.
Fatal crashes between motorcyclists and drivers often occur because drivers misjudge the motorcycle’s distance and speed and make left turns in front of oncoming motorcyclists, according to Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) reports. Driver inattention also is a contributing factor.
Nearly one-third of the state’s motorcycle fatalities in 2020 occurred in an intersection or were intersection-related.