As more motorcycles hit the roads, safety advocates are reminding Portage la Prairie drivers that, whether they are behind the wheel or on two wheels, staying safe on the road is a shared responsibility.
Tara Seel, media and public relations lead for Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), says May is a critical time to talk about the risks riders face while on the road.
“May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and I want to use this opportunity to help more drivers be aware of how quickly things can go tragically wrong on two wheels,” Seel explains. “Between 2022 and 2024, we recorded 9 fatalities and 434 injuries to motorcycle drivers and their passengers in collisions on Manitoba roadways."
Though motorcycle season in the Prairies is short, the impact of these crashes is long-lasting.
“Seeing this many people injured and dying due to motorcycle collisions is a pretty great concern, especially when you can connect that to careless driving,” she adds.
Motorcyclists are vulnerable
Motorcyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users, alongside pedestrians and cyclists. This is because, in a crash, they have little to protect them. Seel points out that even with the best gear, the risk remains high.
“Motorcyclists are very vulnerable when they’re out there, because they don’t have any frame protecting them. They only have their helmet and the clothing that they wear."
She explains that the risk is made worse by how easily motorcycles can go unnoticed by other drivers.
“They can easily slip into a blind spot of the driver and not be seen. They can also stop very quickly, so if someone’s following too close, it would be quite easy to have a rear-end collision.”
Gear, visibility, and road awareness
Seel stresses that motorcycle safety starts with the right equipment.
“As a motorcyclist, make sure that you’re wearing the right gear. You want to have a safety helmet and eye protection. Make sure you wear clothing that covers your skin: jackets, pants, boots.”
Staying visible on the road is just as important. Seel urges riders to wear bright colours, keep headlights on, and avoid lingering in drivers’ blind spots whenever possible.
“You want to ride so that others can see you. You don't want to be weaving in and out of traffic. If you're riding on something slippery, such as gravel or wet mud, you want to make sure that you slow down your speed and adjust when you're making turns.”
How drivers can help
While motorcyclists have a responsibility to ride safely, much of the responsibility also falls on vehicle drivers to be more aware.
“We always want drivers to look twice for motorcycles when they're changing lanes and at intersections. It's easy for drivers not to be fully aware that a motorcycle is close by. It may be hard to see a motorcycle turning signal, so you want to watch for other signs, like shoulder checking or using hand signals, to be prepared if the rider is planning to change lanes or make a turn.”
The following distance also matters. Motorcycles can stop much faster than cars, and a safe gap could prevent a serious crash.
"We recommend 4 seconds as the best distance to follow. Of course, you should increase that at night or if it is raining because visibility becomes a factor at that point too.”
A reminder for the road
Brent Cranston, vice president of the Commandos Motorcycle Club chapter in Portage, also urges drivers to be more mindful as riders return to the streets.
“Please stay alert,” says Cranston. “Watch out for motorcycles because we are hard to see. While riding, we still see tons of people are on their phone, texting and driving, and that causes quite a few accidents as well, so stay off your phones.”
He adds that simply taking a second look could save lives.
Sharing the road is a shared effort
Above all, safe roads depend on everyone doing their part to pay attention and drive with care.
“Remember to share the road because we want to make sure that everyone gets home safely, and to do so, we need everyone to pay attention and stop those careless driving behaviors that are the number one factor for collisions. We want everyone to do their best to focus on the road when driving so that everyone gets home safely,” Seel explains.
As summer rolls in and motorcycle traffic picks up, Seel and riders across Manitoba are urging everyone to stay alert, slow down, and drive like someone’s life depends on it—because it just might.
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