With the growing popularity of motorcycles for transportation and leisure riding, there are more motorcycles on the state’s roadways today than ever before. As the number of motorcyclists grows, the concern over motorcyclist safety grows as well. Crashes involving motorcycles have increased dramatically over the last four years. In 2007, 96 people were killed in motorcycle-involved crashes, up from 58 in 2003.
Action this year by the Maryland General Assembly is designed to enhance safety on the roadways, particularly motorcycle safety. Three bills were passed the legislature and signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley. The new laws include:
- A dramatic increase in the penalty for drivers who fail to yield the right of way and contribute to a crash that results in death or serious bodily injury (In effect since July 8)
- Additional LED lighting is permitted on motorcycles to increase visibility (In effect since June 1)
- The legal definition of a motorcycle has been expanded to include three wheel vehicles.
- An All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Task force has been established.
- Re-sizing motorcycle license plates (Effective date is October 1).
Failure to Yield the Right of Way
Prior to enacting new legislation, the financial penalty for failing to yield the right of way and contributing to a crash was $150, and there were no additional penalties for a crash that results in death or serious bodily injury. Under the new law, a conviction will result in a possible $1000 fine and up to 180-day license suspension.
“Drivers need to understand that they have a responsibility for a motorcyclists’ safety,” said Neil J. Pedersen, Administrator of the State Highway Administration and Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “Failing to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist is a life and death matter. Eight out of 10 police-reported motorcycle crashes result in the injury or death of a motorcycle rider.”
On average, more than half of the crashes involving motorcycles and vehicles are the fault of the vehicle driver, not the motorcyclist. While the new law is not limited to motorcyclists, motorcycle organizations were the primary proponents of the change in the law.
“The new law is really about awareness, not the penalty. If you have to write this citation after a crash, it’s already too late,” said Neal Ackerson, State Director of A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments of Maryland, the largest motorcycle rights organization in Maryland and a strong proponent of the new law. “We are hoping that the new law will raise awareness among drivers about motorcycle safety the same way that DUI laws have about drunk driving. If drivers look out for motorcyclists, we can prevent crashes from happening in the first place.”
Motorcyclists also have responsibility for safe driving – being courteous, non-aggressive and cooperative can go a long way in reducing crashes. However, drivers tend to look for other cars, not motorcycles. It is difficult to estimate a motorcycle’s speed and because motorcycles are small, they are sometimes hard to see.
“We now have an epidemic of motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities. With the recent rise in fuel prices, we are likely to see even more motorcyclists on the road, so drivers need to be alert and l