Keeping Motorcycle Riders Safe

FALLON, NV -- Two accidents resulted in the deaths of two motorcyclists in recent days.

Friday, a rider died after hitting a guardrail and being ejected from the bike she was riding with another person. A day later, there was another death with a collision between a car and a motorcycle.

"It scares me. makes me wonder what is going on out there," said Hal Lichtenwald, a life-long rider and motorcycle safety instructor. He says has still had some close calls.

"I looked down to see something, because something did not feel right on the bike and when I looked up, there was a car turning left in front of me," said Hal.

He made the same mistake many do; he was distracted.

"If I'd have been paying attention, I would have never had to do that," said Hal.

He avoided a crash by breaking and swerving. They're called accident avoidance skills, and he says they should be second nature to a rider.

"You have not got a lot of choices when something is about to happen," said Hal

"Every motorcycle is different. I get off on one bike, I get on another bike, you've got to take your time. You've got to get used to the bike that you are riding," said Hal

Bikers should wear bright clothing, avoid blind-spots as visible as possible. Drivers also need to be aware of their surroundings.

"We teach people in the class that most accidents are a combination of factors. It's not just one thing, it's a whole bunch of different things that lead up to that crash.

Hal hopes if drivers take just an extra look, it can save lives.

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