2021 Sees Increase Of Motorcycle Deaths In Massachusetts

My memory might be off a bit, but I seem to recall mentioning in one of my blogs over a month ago how it seemed like there were an awful lot of motorcycle-related crashes and fatalities lately. It turns out that I was more on point than I realized at the time.

WTEN/News 10 Albany reports that according to state officials, between January and mid-July of 2021, there had been 11 motorcycle deaths in western Massachusetts and 37 across the Bay State.

Out of those 37 deaths, at least four of them took place during the month of July. That is an almost unbelievable increase of 31% from the previous five years. And what's more, for more than two-thirds of car-motorcycle crashes, it's the automobile driver that's at fault, not the motorcyclist. That's according to Mass.gov.

Simply put, many times drivers don't see the motorcyclist until it's way too late to avoid a crash. Do you happen to recall the crash that took place at the intersection of East and Newell back on June 7 at approximately 11 a.m.?

I was bringing my soulmate, Tonya, something to eat because she was unable to get free from her work. I was about three cars removed from being a direct participant in that mash-up. I mean that literally. I could actually see it happening--I was that close. It really reinforces the point that accidents can happen anywhere at any time.

There are many reasons for these accidents. Some of them are obvious and some are not so much. Here's some of them:

1. Motorcycles can be easy to miss because they're smaller. Sounds obvious but drivers are conditioned to look for other cars, not motorcyclists.
2. Road conditions such as weather and traffic play a big part. Certain conditions require motorcyclists to react differently than drivers, so it's often hard to predict where a rider may swerve.
3. Always be aware of your blind spots. Your line of sight may be blocked by large trucks or delivery vans.
4. Hazardous road conditions such as wet leaves, potholes, trash, or other obstacles in the road may also play a factor.
5. Keep in mind that something in the road that you can easily pass over or through with your car or truck will likely become a deadly situation if that same obstacle is hit by a motorcycle rider. Give motorcycles plenty of room and their full lane of travel.

Let's everyone try and be safe out there. Have fun, but be cautious and stay safe. For more info, please check out WTEN's website here.