The Casper Police Department is committed to increasing the safety of our roadways for both motorcyclists and motorists.
Tomorrow, Saturday, May 1st, 2021, marks the beginning of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. As the weather warms this time of year, we see a significant increase in the number of motorcycles on our roadways. The Casper Police Department is committed to bringing awareness to this subject to keep everyone on our roadways safe.
Casper Police will also be ensuring the safety of motorists as they participate in an annual Motorcycle Safety Awareness Parade taking place in Casper this Saturday, May 1st. This parade brings together hundreds of motorcycle riders in our region to take part in a parade that goes through the heart of our City
.The parade is scheduled to begin at 12:00pm and end around 1:00pm. It will begin at the Eastside Walmart and from there, the parade will travel nearly ten and a half miles before ultimately ending at The Hat Six Travel Plaza. The parade will have a police escort throughout its duration and will cause significant impact to traffic.
A map of the parade route is attached to this news release.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following reminders for motorists to help keep motorcyclists safe on the roads:
If you are turning at an intersection and your view of oncoming traffic is partially obstructed, wait until you can see around the obstruction, sufficiently scan for all roadway users (pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists alike), and proceed with caution. Slow your decision-making process down at intersections
One’s reaction time and ability to assess and respond to a potential collision, such as a lane change, is significantly hindered if there are large differences in speed among vehicles in traffic. When approaching a congested roadway, being diligent in modifying your speed to match that of the cars in traffic can be a lifesaver, particularly for motorcyclists.
Allow a motorcyclist a full lane width. Though it may seem as if there is enough room in a single lane for a motor vehicle and a motorcycle, looks can be deceiving. Share the road, but not the lane: A motorcyclist needs room to maneuver safely.
Because motorcycles are smaller than most vehicles, they can be difficult to see. Their size can also cause other drivers to misjudge their speed and distance.
Size also counts against motorcycles when it comes to blind spots. Motorcyclists can be easily hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot. Always look for motorcycles by checking your mirrors and blind spots before switching to another lane of traffic.
Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic. This allows motorcyclists to anticipate your movement and find a safe lane position.
Do not be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a motorcycle — it may not be self-canceling and the motorcyclist may have forgotten to turn it off. Wait to be sure the rider is going to turn before you proceed.
Allow more follow distance — three or four seconds — when following a motorcycle; this gives the motorcycle rider more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. Motorcycle riders may suddenly need to change speed or adjust their lane position to avoid hazards such as potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings, and grooved pavement.
The Casper Police Department is dedicated to the protection and safety of our community through the highest standards of professionalism in police services.