When you see a motorcycle on the road, it’s not just a bike – it carries someone’s best friend, someone’s child, someone’s parent, someone’s spouse. Nearly 600 people riding motorcycles were killed in crashes in Texas last year, and more than 2,400 riders were seriously injured.
One of those hurt was Al Peterson, a Leander man who almost died last May when another driver turned left in front of him. Peterson was thrown 20 yards from his motorcycle and fractured several ribs, his left leg, pelvis, and suffered severe internal injuries. The crash nearly took him away from his wife and three children.
Motorcycles are smaller and harder to spot, which is why taking an extra moment to double check can mean the difference between life and death. The number of motorcyclists killed in 2023 increased by seven percent from the year before, and intersection fatal crashes increased by 21 percent. In 2023, there were 741 motorcycle crashes in the Austin area. These crashes resulted in 50 motorcyclist operator or passenger deaths and 211 serious injuries. Drivers can help stop this rising trend by always looking twice for motorcycles, because there’s a life riding on it.
