As the days grow longer and the temperature rises, more motorcycles will be dusted off and hitting city streets. With that in mind, the City of Edmonton has issued a reminder to all drivers to be more cognisant of sharing the road because “motorcycles don’t have airbags.”
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“Motorcycle riders are more vulnerable to being seriously injured or killed if they’re involved in a collision,” said Laura Thue, a senior research co-ordinator with the City of Edmonton’s Office of Traffic Safety.
“Look twice before changing lanes to make sure that no one is in your blind spot. Double-check to see that a motorcycle isn’t coming towards you before you turn. A second look can go a long way towards preventing collisions and saving lives.”
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The city said there’s already been a collision involving a motorcycle, which happened last month.
According to the city, there were 191 motorcycle collisions in Edmonton in 2016 — down eight per cent from 2015. Injuries requiring hospitalization were down by seven per cent.
Last year, three people were killed in motorcycle collisions. The city said vehicles making left-hand turns in front of motorcycles accounted for the most devastating collisions.
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“It is up to everyone to be extra cautious,” Thue said. “Let’s watch out for each other.”
The city also said street sweeping is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 18, but the date may change if we get a spring snowfall or the temperature dips below zero.