Driving safety tips and resources from the Arizona Department of Transportation at FocusOnDriving.com keep motorists prepared on Arizona’s roads.

Share the Road

An Important Message from Dallas Hammit, Deputy Director for Transportation

Did you know that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month? While all of us should remember to share the road year-round, I hope that you’ll use this month to reflect on your driving habits and resolve to be more aware of other motorists, whether they’re driving a vehicle with two wheels or four.

In case you need a refresher, here are some good safety tips.

For All Road Users

  • Remember: A motorcyclist has the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other motorist on the roadway.
  • Give a motorcyclist a full lane width to maneuver safely.
  • Always look for motorcycles by checking your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes.
  • Motorcycles are smaller and more difficult to see, so keep an eye out.
  • Allow more distance — three or four seconds — when following a motorcycle. This gives the motorcycle rider more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

For Motorcyclists

  • Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed.
  • Wear a helmet and use reflective tape and gear to be more visible. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates motorcycle helmets saved an estimated 1,859 lives in 2016.
  • Never ride while impaired or distracted — it is not worth the risk of killing or injuring yourself or someone else.
  • When it comes to riding a motorcycle, training and safety gear are critical. ADOT encourages all riders to take a state-authorized training course.

Work zone safety awareness

Before I end this month’s message, I do want to share my thanks for all the efforts related to National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 8-12). I especially want to bring attention to a powerful temporary memorial that was installed at ADOT’s Human Resources Development Center in Phoenix. In case you didn’t have a chance to see it in-person, the memorial included more than 50 hard hats and safety vests along with the names of all the highway workers who have died on the job since the 1940s. It was a touching display that really reminds us of how important it is that we all pay attention to safety in work zones, whether we’re working in one or driving through one.