Question of the Day: How Can Motorcyclists Feel Safer on the North Fork?

With the weather becoming ideal for bikers of all types, the North Fork is inundated with motorcyclists during the weekends and will continue to be throughout the summer.

There's no doubt that being a biker is still as cool as it ever was, with the warm wind blowing through your clothes and the eternal Steppenwolf soundtrack in your mind as you take in the highway. But Sunday's tragic on Route 48 in Greenport that resulted in the death of a 45-year-old Islip Terrace man has to make you stop and think — how can we make it safer for bikers to enjoy the beautiful cruise out here to the North Fork and around other parts of Long Island?

According to a report released in April by the Governor's Highway Safety Association, a national nonprofit organization that implements programs to address behavioral highway safety issues, motorcycle deaths declined nationwide by 2 percent in 2010 but increased slightly in New York State that year  due to "a rise in motorcycle registrations and a longer and more favorable riding season."

“There was an extended riding season in 2010 due to less rain and warmer temperatures which led to an increased exposure to crashes," J. David Sampson, Executive Deputy Commissioner for New York State's Department of Motor Vehicles, stated in the report. "In addition, motorcycle registrations continue to rise as the baby boom generation rediscovers their passion for riding a motorcycle."

The report lists the following tips to urge all states to focus their motorcycle safety efforts:

• Increasing Helmet Use: Helmets are proven to be 37 percent effective at preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle operators and passengers. Helmet laws are the only motorcycle safety strategy to receive a five-star effectiveness rating in NHTSA’s Countermeasures that Work guidebook for states. Alarmingly, helmet use declined dramatically in 2010, and 30 states still lack helmet laws for all riders.
• Reduce Alcohol Impairment: States should conduct high visible drunk driving enforcement that includes motorcyclists as well as implement training efforts to help police identify drunken motorcyclists.
• Reduce Speeding: According to the most recent data, 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding. More than half of speed-related fatal motorcycle crashes did not involve another vehicle.
• Provide Motorcycle Operator Training to All Who Need or Seek It: While all states currently conduct training courses, some areas may not provide enough course openings at the locations and times convenient for riders.

Let us know what else can be improved upon to make motorcyclists feel safer on our local roads. Feel free to comment in the boxes below.