- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Spring is here and time to enjoy the warm sunshine! May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, a time to remind vehicle drivers and motorcyclists of the need to share the road safely. The size and visibility challenges of motorcyclists are reasons to practice good judgment and leave space for response to others on the road, especially when changing lanes.
One way both motorists and motorcyclists can share the road responsibly is to always use your signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic. Carefully check your mirrors and watch for your blind spots. Also, leaving distance between riders and drivers gives everyone a chance to respond to each other.
If you use a motorcycle for transportation, you have a responsibility to be properly licensed. Riding a motorcycle requires skill and knowledge of safely operating through traffic with hazards such as wet pavement, potholes, and road debris. Wearing protective clothing and a helmet will protect you in a crash.
Massachusetts has a mandatory motorcycle helmet law. Wearing a helmet is a proven safety measure, reducing injury and loss of life substantially. Find out more about motorcycle education and how to choose the right helmet here on Mass.gov Motorcycle Safety.
Sharing the road responsibly requires all to safely follow speed signage, safely change lanes, drive responsibly, and never drive while impaired.
The MAPFRE Insurance-sponsored MassDOT Highway Assistance Program is on patrol to help all motorists, including motorcyclists, on the highways. Patrol operators monitor some of the state’s busiest highways around Metro Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Cape Cod (seasonal). The Highway Assistance Patrol covers 13 major state roadways and interstates, the Emergency Service Patrol covers the Mass Pike (I-90) from New York to Boston and the Incident Response Operators cover the Metropolitan Highway System and tunnels. The Highway Assistance Patrol is in service Monday–Friday between the hours of 6 a.m.–10 a.m. and 3 p.m.–7 p.m. During holidays, there are extended routes in heavy-traffic areas. On I-90, and in Boston’s tunnel system, assistance is provided 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Written by,
Your friends at MAPFRE Insurance
