As motorcyclists around the country and in Ohio gear up to attend summer festivals like the annual Sturgis North Festival, thousands will be traveling on roads and highways. Motorcycle ridership in general increases during the summer months and, as a result, so too do incidents of motorcycle accidents.

Reports of motorcycle accidents and fatalities have risen during the last decade prompting a need for increased awareness related to motorcycle safety. The following are important safety factors drivers of cars and trucks need to consider when sharing the road with motorcycles.

Respect Motorcycles: Motorcycles should be afforded the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle on the road. Never crowd or tailgate motorcycles and give them extra room to allow them to stop or maneuver if necessary.

Check Mirrors: Motorcycles are small and tend to easily be obstructed from a driver's view. Therefore it's important to not only use mirrors to check for motorcycles, but also to diligently check all blind spots.

Allow for errors: Motorcyclists like individuals driving a car or truck, make errors while driving. Most signal lights on motorcycles are not self-cancelling. Therefore, always make sure to closely monitor the movements of a signaling motorcycle to allow for a lane change or turn.

Account for poor road conditions: While it's not advisable for motorcyclists to drive in poor weather, those traveling long distances may get caught in hard rains. When rains impair a car or truck driver's ability to see, motorcyclists may seek shelter under bridge overpasses or pull over to the side of the highway and drivers should be extra cautious of any stopped motorcycles.

Source: Kelowna Capital News, "Improving motorcycle safety awareness," July 15, 2012