One Hudson Valley police department is reminding motorists to be mindful of everyone on the road.

If you didn't know, May is Motorcycle Safety Month and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department is passing along some helpful tips to motorists across the state.

Have you noticed more people on the road? So has the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. They recognize that traffic patterns are changing and returning to pre-pandemic volumes. They write:

This May, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month comes at a particularly crucial time. Traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels, families are planning summer road trips, and interest in motorcycling — for commuting and recreation — is seeing strong growth. This means more drivers and riders will be out on the roads this summer.

So how can drivers and motorcyclists safely navigate the roads together during this busy time? The Putnam County Sheriff's Office put together a helpful list that includes the following tips:

  • Passenger car drivers must allow a greater following distance behind a motorcycle. The Sheriff's Office explains that "Most crashes occur when a driver fails to see a motorcyclist and turns left in front of a motorcycle."
  • Drivers should use extra caution at intersections.
  • Drivers should never try to share a lane with a motorcycle. They add to "always give a motorcycle the full lane width."
POV shot of young man riding on a motorcycle. Hands of motorcyclist on a street
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The Sheriff's Office also gave the following tips for motorcycle riders:

  • Motorcyclists should avoid riding in poor weather conditions.
  • Motorcyclists should position their motorcycles to avoid a driver's blind spot.
  • Motorcyclists must use turn signals for every turn or lane change.

According to the National Safety Council, from 2019 to 2020 "fatalities among motorcycle riders and passengers increased 11%."

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