Holiday accidents turn focus on motorcycle safety, respect
An unusually deadly Memorial Day weekend has motorcycle safety experts calling on all drivers to show more common courtesy and respect for others on the road. And one group is renewing its push for tougher sentencing laws for motorists who hit bikers.
Six people died in three crashes involving motorcycles within a 20-hour span near Elburn, Oak Forest and Calumet City. At least two other suburban motorcyclists were killed in separate crashes earlier this month.
"It's horrible," Tony Jacobazzi, safety officer with the Fox Valley chapter of the Harley Owners Group. "It kind of hits close to home. Some of my friends knew some of these people."
Bob Ritter, project director for the Northern Illinois University Motorcycle Safety Project, says he was shocked by the number of fatal motorcycle crashes during the holiday weekend.
"This is not the norm," Ritter said. "This was unusual."
The first crash happened early Saturday morning near Elburn. Wade and Denise Thomas were killed while riding their Harley-Davidson. The St. Charles couple was part of a group of motorcyclists heading north on two-lane Route 47 when a collision in the oncoming lane sent a car into their path. Six other people were injured.
Then on Saturday night on I-57 near Oak Forest, a southbound biker tried to turn around using an area reserved for emergency vehicles. That rider then struck three northbound motorcycles. Three people died.
The third motorcycle crash happened early Sunday morning when a 34-year-old Calumet City man was killed while he was on his motorcycle at Dolton Road and Crandon Avenue.
While helmets help prevent injuries when accidents occur, experts say more needs to be done to stop accidents from happening in the first place. Ritter said he can't tolerate the common car drivers' excuse that they didn't see a motorcyclist.
"It makes you wonder if the person should be driving a car at all if they can't see a full-grown adult on a full-size motorcycle," he said.
Ritter said car drivers must be aware that a motorcycle may be behind a passing car or in a blind spot. They should also look out for them before making turns.
"Don't just arbitrarily turn thinking that it's clear or somebody can stop," Ritter said. "Look and observe, and try to show respect for those other vehicles."
If you are traveling behind a motorcycle, there should be at least two seconds between your car and the motorcycle.
Earlier this month, a Lake Zurich motorcyclist was killed when she was struck at a traffic light by a driver painting her fingernails.
Experts say that incident highlights the unfortunate reality that many crashes are caused by distracted drivers. As a result, A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education of Illinois, a motorcycle advocacy group, is pushing for state laws that would make it easier to prosecute those cases.
"The thing that gets me the most is that there's no mechanism for addressing this," said Bob Ward, ABATE of Illinois' legislative coordinator. "There's no punishment."
Ward said he believes tougher DUI laws show that a legislative solution to distracted driving can be found.
"Hopefully, someone will get some common sense," Ward said.
In the meantime, motorcyclists can help protect themselves by brushing up on their training. For example, NIU teaches accident avoidance skills as part of its 20-hour motorcycle training course.
Despite having more than 40 years of experience of riding motorcycles, Jacobazzi says he regularly takes expert training classes.
"It keeps your awareness alive," he said. "Any athlete will practice his sport to stay on top of his ability."
Three fatal motorcyle crashes:
• 8:30 a.m. Saturday: St. Charles couple killed in multi-vehicle crash crash on Route 47 just north of Smith Road near Elburn.
• 8:50 p.m. Saturday: Four-motorcycle crash I-57 near Oak Forest results in three deaths.
• 3:52 a.m. Sunday: Motorcycle crash in Calumet City kills a 34-year-old man.