Motorcycle drivers and riders relish the freedom and exhilarating wind-in-your-hair experience provided by that popular mode of transportation. But with those pleasures come clear and present dangers. National, state and local statistics drive home that point forcefully.

Motorcycle riders are 29 times more likely to die and four times more likely to be injured in crashes than passenger-vehicle occupants, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And unlike the overall downward trend in all traffic deaths over the past 50 years, 5,932 motorcyclists were killed in the United States in 2021, the highest death toll since 1975.

In Ohio, the Department of Public Safety reports 18,980 motorcycle-involved crashes on Ohio roadways from 2018 through 2022 with an increase reported in each of the past five years. These crashes included 927 fatal accidents that killed 953 motorcyclists and 13 others.

Those disturbing trends are mirrored in the Mahoning Valley. In Mahoning County, four of seven fatal vehicle accidents or 57 percent of those through Aug. 23 of this year have involved motorcycles, according to data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Its data also shows fatal motorcycle crashes in Trumbull County doubled from four to eight between 2021 and 2022.

Clearly then, the need remains for action and aggressive public awareness and education campaigns to lower those grisly tolls. The Ohio Department of Public Safety is leading the pack in educating motorcyclists and passenger-vehicle drivers of potentially life-saving safety protocols.

First, far too many unlicensed and therefore untrained motorcycle drivers ravage the roads and risk their lives and lives of others. In Ohio, for example, motorcycle drivers were at fault in 56% of all motorcycle-involved crashes and 64% of fatal crashes from 2018 through 2022. Half of at-fault motorcycle drivers did not have a motorcycle license endorsement.

Second, the value of protective helmets is well documented and cannot be overstated. According to the NHTSA, helmets are about 37% effective in preventing motorcycle deaths and about 67% effective in preventing brain injuries. In Ohio over that same five-year time span, 72% of motorcyclists killed and 66% of motorcyclists seriously injured in crashes were not wearing a helmet.

Third, don’t drink and ride as the risks of driving a motorcycle impaired zoom past the same risks of driving a passenger vehicle. From 2018 through 2022, 9% of Ohio’s motorcycle-involved crashes involved alcohol and/or drugs, nearly twice the rate of alcohol / drug use in vehicle crashes overall (5%).

To its credit, the Ohio Department of Public Safety has instituted a comprehensive motorcycle safety and education program. That program, Motorcycle Ohio, is available online at motor

cycle.ohio.gov. It includes training courses for beginning to seasoned drivers and provides links to apply for motorcycle, motor scooter, moped and motorized bicycle permits from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Of course, the onus for cycle crashes isn’t always on the motorcycle driver. Car, truck and SUV drivers must treat cyclists with the same respect as given drivers of other vehicles. That means they must provide extra assured clear distance, pay close attention to blind spots, treat motorcycle turn signals with caution as many of them are not self-canceling and never pass motorcycles in the same lane.

With strict attention to safety on all fronts, there’s no reason why Ohio’s 400,000 motorcyclists cannot enjoy the thrills of the open air without endangering their own lives or the lives of others.