Message Monday - Don't make a hog squeal. Look out for bikes
Having to break quickly to avoid a careless driver is one reason you may be hearing more squeals from motorcycle tires this time of year.
Out of 2.6 million passenger vehicles registered in our state last year, only 7 percent are motorcycles. Yet of the 404 fatalities in 2016 nearly 15 percent (60 of those killed) were motorcyclists. That means a significantly larger percent of people are dying in motorcycle crashes than those dying in car crashes. Another sobering statistic is that 30 percent more motorcyclists were killed in 2016 over 2015.
The responsibility of safety falls on everyone. Car and truck drivers need to be alert and watch for motorcycles. Motorcycle riders need to be cautious and watch for larger vehicles. We all need to be committed to watching out for each other.
Braking on a motorcycle is something that takes a little practice and experienced motorcycle riders know, the reason brakes squeal is too much rear brake and not enough front brake - https://youtu.be/6oMT1NqDBrE?t=1m30s
The fatality count of 89 is an increase of one since last Monday. Preliminary number show that in all of 2016, 404 people were killed on Iowa highways. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality count.