Dover –Four fatal crashes occurred on Delaware roadways last weekend that claimed the lives of 5 individuals. The fatal crashes involved a motorcycle, scooter, and 2 motor vehicles.

A variety of factors were at work in the crashes according to State Police reports and all are still under investigation.  This brings the number of people killed on Delaware roads since January 1^st to 28, compared to 20 at this time last year.

“As we head into summer we will see an increase in traffic with families traveling for vacations and holidays. We cannot stress enough how important it is to be cautious every moment you are behind the wheel,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS).  “Please slow down, take your time, limit your distractions, and never drive after drinking.”

The Office of Highway Safety has conducted several traffic safety enforcement and education campaigns this year and has planned additional enforcement and educational mobilizations that will target speeding, occupant protection, impaired driving, motorcycle, and pedestrian laws as follows;

Motorcycle mobilization;

April 21-May 2; June 23-28; July 7-12; August 4-9; September 11-15

Speed mobilization;

May 1-10; July 1-12; August 7-9; September 2-13

Pedestrian mobilization;

May 8-16; June 12-27; July 10-25; August 7-29; September 4-13

Seat belt mobilization;

May 12-26; June 6-19; July 18-31

Impaired driving mobilization;

May 23-26; July 18-August 2; July 25-August 2; August 15-September 1

The easiest way to reduce the risk of being involved in a crash is to practice safe driving behaviors.  No matter how long you have been driving, or if you just started to drive, here are some driving tips that will help you and your passengers to arrive alive.

Driving Tips

1)      Slow down- research by the European Road Safety Observatory has shown that for every mile per hour you drive, the likelihood of being in a crash increases by four to five percent. At higher speeds, the risk increases much more quickly.

2)      Never drive impaired- even 1 alcohol beverage can affect your motor skills and cause delayed reaction or blurred vision.

3)      Put the phone down- putting your attention to the cell phone call, text, tweet, or post behind the wheel can delay reaction times by as much as 20 percent.

4)      Always buckle up- when worn properly, seat belts can prevent you from being thrown around the inside of a crashing vehicle or, worse, thrown through the windshield or completely out of the vehicle.

5)      Don’t drive drowsy- just being a little drowsy is enough to increase your risk of being involved in a crash. Drowsy responses can range from dozing off for a few seconds at a time to simply “zoning out” and losing all focus on the road. At highway speeds, one or two seconds of inattention can lead to disaster.

For more information on any of the OHS campaigns visit www.ohs.delaware.gov and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

Dover –The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) along with state and local law enforcement, is reminding motorists to Share The Road and reminding motorcyclists to Respect Your Ride.  From now until August 18^th, law enforcement agencies statewide will be patrolling high crash roadways ensuring that both motorists and motorcyclists are complying with the state’s traffic safety laws,  as well as ensuring motorcyclists have the proper motorcycle endorsement on their license.

Participating agencies include Bridgeville PD, Dover PD, Georgetown PD, Harrington PD, Middletown PD, Milford PD, New Castle County PD, Newark PD, Smyrna PD, and DSP.  DSP Aviation will be assisting with the patrols in Kent County as well.

To date Delaware has experienced 8 motorcycle fatalities compared to 9 at this time last year.

The Share The Road campaign is aimed at motorists to be extra vigilant; to keep an eye out for motorcyclists on Delaware roadways.   Motorists are reminded to allow a motorcyclist a full lane width and allow for more following distance between you and the motorcyclists. Although it may seem that there is enough room in the traffic lane for a motor vehicle and a motorcycle, the motorcycle needs the room to maneuver safely. Do not share the lane; share the road.

The Respect Your Ride campaign, aimed at motorcyclists, directs riders to www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, where they can find information about the proper tools and training to make them the safest rider they can be, popular riding routes in Delaware, and links on how to apply for a motorcycle license.

Additional safety tips:

• A motorcyclist can be hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot because of its smaller size. Always check your mirrors and blind spots twice for motorcyclists before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections.
• Always use your turn signal before changing lanes or merging with traffic. This allows motorcyclists to anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position.
• Never ride impaired. Of the 15 motorcycle drivers killed last year, 7 were under the influence of drugs &/or alcohol.
• Wearing the proper motorcycle safety gear serves many purposes including protection from the elements, injury, and if it is reflective, making you more visible to motorists.

For more information on any of the OHS campaigns visit www.ohs.delaware.gov and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

Office of Highway Safety reminds motorists to look twice for motorcyclists.

Dover – With winter gone and spring bringing warmer weather, more motorcyclists are out on the roads.  The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is reminding motorists to keep an eye out for motorcyclists because they are looking out for you.

Across the nation, motorcycle crashes continue to be on the rise.  To date this year Delaware has seen 22 motorcycle injury crashes and 1 motorcycle fatal crash. That is why the OHS continues to promote both Motorcycle Safety campaigns Share The Road and Respect Your Ride.

The Share The Road campaign is aimed at motorists to be extra alert to keep an eye out for motorcyclists on Delaware roadways.   Motorists are reminded to allow a motorcyclist a full lane width and allow for more following distance between you and the motorcyclists. Although it may seem that there is enough room in the traffic lane for a motor vehicle and a motorcycle, the motorcycle needs the room to maneuver safely. Do not share the lane, share the road.

Education and outreach efforts for the Share The Road campaign include billboards, bathroom mirror clings, radio ads, stickers and window clings with the share the road message.

The Respect Your Ride campaign, aimed at motorcyclists, directs riders to www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, where they can find information about the proper tools and training to make them the safest rider they can be, popular riding routes in Delaware, and links on how to apply for a motorcycle license.

Education and outreach efforts for the Respect Your Ride campaign include billboards, distribution of information and brochures to motorcycle dealerships, online ads, and distribution of Guardian Bells to motorcycle riders at motorcycle events.  The Guardian Bell is a small bell that attaches to the motorcycle and the legend of the bell is that it will trap evil road spirits in the bell and protect the rider.

Beginning April 15^th law enforcement across the state will be patrolling high crash roadways ensuring that both motorists and motorcyclists are sharing the road and ensuring that motorcyclists are complying with the state’s motorcycle safety laws including having the proper motorcycle endorsement on their license.  Enforcement and awareness activities will be conducted through April, June, July, August, and September.

Radio and internet advertisements will remind motorcycle operators that rider training courses are available for beginner and advanced riders throughout the state.  Additionally safety brochures, bumper stickers, and incentive items are being distributed by OHS’s partners, including motorcycle rider groups.

OHS is proud to continue partnerships with these groups through its membership on the State’s Motorcycle Rider Education Advisory Committee, co-chaired by Sen. Bruce Ennis and Rep. Danny Short.  Other members include DMV, the Dover Air Force Base, local motorcycle businesses, and members of motorcycle rider groups.  The committee’s Motorcycle Awareness Day (Event, Parade and Bike Show) will be Sat April 27^th beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Legislative Hall and there will be vendors, displays, judging and presentation of awards.  The event is open to the public.

Additional safety tips:

• A motorcyclist can be hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot because of its smaller size. Always check your mirrors and blind spots twice for motorcyclists before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections.
• Always use your turn signal before changing lanes or merging with traffic. This allows motorcyclists to anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position.
• Never ride impaired. Of the 15 motorcycle drivers killed last year, 7 were under the influence of drugs &/or alcohol.
• Wearing the proper motorcycle safety gear serves many purposes including protection from the elements, injury, and if it is reflective, making you more visible to motorists.

For more information on any of the OHS campaigns visit www.ohs.delaware.gov and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

Event hosted by OHS & Grotto Pizza Milford

Milford – Delmarva Bike Week is being held September 13^th to 16^th with lots of activities from Seaford, DE to Ocean City, MD for riders of all kinds.  During this time motorist can expect to see more motorcyclists on the roads and the Delaware Office of Highway (OHS) wants to remind all how to share the road safely by hosting a Motorcycle Awareness event at Grotto Pizza in Milford on Route 1 on Saturday September 15^th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This free event is open to all drivers and riders and will feature many activities to take advantage of including;

• A Confidence Course set up by the Dover Air Force Base Green Knights and DMV for motorcyclists to test their riding skills.
• Seat belt musical chairs. To secure your seat you have to buckle up!
• Tipsy tricycle. Put on the fatal vision goggles and see if you can maneuver the tricycle around the cones without knocking any down.  For adults 21 years and older.
• Share The Road display. This display shows motorists how to properly give motorcyclist room on the road.
• Seat Belt Convincer. Delaware State Police will demonstrate why buckling up can save your life in a roll over crash.
• Milford PD and Delaware City PD will have their police motorcycles on display.
• Plus a live remote by Cool 101.3 and information and give-a-ways by State Farm Insurance & Bayhealth Medical Center.

OHS Motorcycle Safety campaign titled Respect Your Ride is aimed at motorcyclists and directs riders to www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, where they can find information about the proper tools and training to make them the safest rider they can be.

Public awareness efforts are also aimed at reaching the drivers of passenger vehicles.  Along with the Motorcycle Awareness event, radio advertisements are also being aired during Bike Week to remind motorists to pause and look twice to share the road with motorcyclists, which can easily be missed in a vehicle’s blind spot.

Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than passenger vehicle drivers in the event of a crash.  Research shows that approximately 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20 percent of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in their vehicle. Currently there have been fourteen (14) motorcyclists killed on Delaware roadways out of 72 traffic deaths this year, which is almost 20% of the traffic fatals to date.  At this time last year Delaware had lost fifteen (15) motorcyclists on the roadways, which was also almost 20% of the traffic deaths at that time.

For more information on Motorcycle Safety visit OHS at www.ohs.delaware.gov, and www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, follow OHS regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE and visit the Delaware DMV Motorcycle section at http://www.dmv.de.gov/services/driver_services/drivers_license/dr_lic_motorcycle.shtml.

Dover-  The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and law enforcement agencies statewide will begin the third wave of enforcement on June 1st for the Respect Your Ride motorcycle safety campaign.  Throughout the next wave of enforcement Bethany Beach Police, Dewey Beach Police, Delaware State Police, Dover Police, Newark Police, New Castle County Police, Rehoboth Beach Police will conduct patrols on high crash roadways and will cite violators of the state’s motorcycle safety laws.  They will be paying particular attention to speeding and impaired motorcyclists.

This wave comes after two successive motorcycle crash fatalities on May 18th & 19th.  The first crash involved a motorcyclist driving on a suspended licens and fictitious Delaware registration.  He passed another vehicle on a double yellow line while in a curve, and struck a pedestrian crossing the street.  The impact killed the pedestrian.  The second motorcyclist failed to negotiate a curve and crashed in the roadway and was killed.  Alcohol is considered a factor in the crash.

As the weather warms up, and more motorcyclists are on the roads, all drivers should be vigilant about sharing the road with motorcyclists.  They are easy to miss in a vehicle’s blind spot.  Always look twice before changing lanes or making turns at intersections.

Motorcycle riders can also go to www.MotorcyclesafetyDE.org, to find information about the proper tools and training to make them the safest rider they can be.  Any person who operates a motorcycle, or other 2-wheeled motor driven vehicle, must have a driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement before taking to the road.  To obtain the endorsement a person must pass a written exam and road skills tests or complete an approved motorcycle rider education program.

OHS is offering the following safety tips for both motorists and motorcycle operators:

Motorcyclists

• Follow posted speed limits and keep all wheels on the ground at all times
• Do not try to share a lane with a vehicle, stay in your own
• Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic;
• Never drink and ride
• Watch out for loose sand, gravel, debris, and uneven and textured surfaces
• Do not pass on the shoulder
• Suit up for Safety – wear not only a helmet, but also appropriate eye gear, long sleeves, over the ankle boots and reflective material when riding at night
• Keep your skills up to date by signing up for a DMV Motorcycle Training Course, either beginner or advanced

Motorists:

• Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections;
• Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width;
• Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic;
• Allow more following distance, three or four sec­onds, when following a motorcycle, so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emer­gency; never tailgate.

For more information about the Respect Your Ride campaign visit http://ohs.delaware.gov/services/motorcycle.shtml or visit us on Facebook at ArriveAliveDE.  For more information about motorcycle endorsement and motorcycle rider education program visit http://www.dmv.de.gov/services/driver_services/drivers_license/dr_lic_motorcycle.shtml.