Alabama ranks #15 in motorcycle fatalities: What safety experts want drivers to know

Birmingham, AL (WBMA) - With the weather warming up, you may see more motorcyclists on the roadways. Registered motorcycles top 8-point-four million up 23 percent in the past decade. They're popular for weekend riders and for general transportation.

But it can be a risky ride for those in Alabama. The state ranks number fifteen on the list of most dangerous states for motorcyclists. In 2017 there were 79 fatalities in our state. QuoteWizard put together the list with 2017 NHTSA fatality figures. Many southern states ranked high likely due to better weather conditions for riding.

Rick Randolph has been riding motorcycles for forty years. He's the program manager at the Alabama Traffic Safety Center operating out of the University of Montevallo campus. Randolph hopes some day skills training classes will be required.

"Alabama is the only state, territory in the U.S. that allows a person to be licensed to operate a motorcycle without taking a skills test," remarks Randolph. Right now Alabama riders only need to pass a written test.

The safety classes run March to December. He says in multi-vehicle collisions too often another driver simply doesn't see the motorcycle. They can blend in with a busy intersection or the landscape. Randolph asks everyone out there to make a conscious effort to look twice and realize there are 112,000 motorcyclists in our state sharing the road with you.

Another issue with drivers not seeing motorcycles centers on blind spots around their vehicles. Randolph advises you adjust your mirrors using these suggestions from the federal government.