Drivers Urged to ‘Look Twice’ for Motorcycles as Sturgis Rally Nears
The biggest biker party on the planet kicks off Friday, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to look twice for motorcycles.
"Motorcycles are a lot harder to see and so you need to keep your head on a swivel so to speak," said Sgt. Jeremy Beck.
"Make sure that you look twice before you pull out into an intersection or change lanes (and) give them plenty of distance where it doesn't cause a collision," he added.
According to Beck, there were 18 motorcycle fatalities in Wyoming last year, too many of which involved alcohol.
"When you're on a motorcycle there's really no room for error, so make sure that you're driving sober," he said.
Beck also encourages bikers to wear helmets, to make themselves more visible by riding with their lights on, and to be mindful of the weather and wildlife in the Black Hills area.
"Just do your part as you're out on the roadway," said Beck. "Don't drive carelessly, don't drink and drive, don't drive distracted ... and hopefully we can keep from having those (fatal crash) numbers increase this year."