Get Endorsed. Get Insured. Spread The Word.

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month

As Seen in Thunder Road Magazine

 

Motorcycle season is finally underway, and during the month of May we recognize Motorcycle Awareness Month. This month is a chance to celebrate all things motorcycling and to promote awareness among all drivers by encouraging them to watch for motorcycles. Over the years I’ve helped a lot of injured bikers with their motorcycle crash cases, and I wanted to share three important things Michigan riders can do to help protect themselves and other bikers during this motorcycle season.

 

Get endorsed: In Michigan, a motorcycle endorsement (CY) is required in order to ride on the roads legally. Having a CY endorsement means you have passed a vision test and a written test at a Secretary of State office, you have passed a rider skills test or completed a certified motorcycle safety course, and that you have brought proof of having done these things to the Secretary of State’s office to get your endorsement.

 

Getting a motorcycle endorsement in Michigan isn’t expensive; the initial cost is less than $15, and renewals are only $5. It’s worth it: riders who are pulled over without one could be fined and may have points added to their driver’s license. Legal benefits aside, motorcyclists who get their CY endorsement will be able to apply the skills and lessons they learn from their experience.

 

Get insured: As The Motorcycle Lawyer, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have proper insurance on your motorcycle. Without insurance, you can be left high and dry if you put your bike down or if something happens to you; the risks of riding without proper insurance far outweigh the costs to insure yourself and your bike.

 

In Michigan, the bare minimum insurance for motorcyclists is to have bodily injury coverage. Without it, you’re not riding legal. In my opinion, you should also have uninsured and under-insured motorist coverage. These compensate you for your injuries if the negligent driver has no insurance or too little insurance. I always recommend carrying a medical or health insurance policy as well; call it a “backup plan.”  No Fault only pays the medical bills when a “motor vehicle” is involved.  Without this backup you could be stuck with the medical bills if you go down because of something like loose gravel, a pothole, an animal, or another motorcyclist.

 

In Michigan, wearing a helmet is the motorcyclist’s choice. If you plan to ride without a helmet, you also need to have at least $20K in First Party Medical Benefits coverage for yourself, and any passenger, over the age of 21, who plans to ride without a helmet must also have $20K as well. Collision coverage will pay to fix your bike if it is damaged in a crash, and accessories coverage will cover repair or replacement costs if you have any custom work or accessories on your bike.

 

You know the expression, “dress for the crash, not the ride”? I always tell people that insurance is protection, and you can never be over-insured. Insure yourself and your bike for the crash so you can enjoy the ride without worry.

 

Spread the word: There’s only so much motorcyclists can do to protect themselves while out on the road. Obviously, how we ride matters, as does getting endorsed and being properly insured. At the end of the day, though, a big part of rider safety is ensuring that car and truck drivers are aware of motorcycles and share the road. Without driver awareness, it’s almost impossible for motorcyclists to ride safely. That’s why motorcycle awareness campaigns are so important. My office has spent a lot of time and energy creating a Watch for Motorcycles campaign that involves billboards, bumper stickers, and driver education to remind people to be hyper-vigilant when they get behind the wheel of their cars.

 

In my opinion, every motorcyclist in Michigan needs to be actively involved in promoting motorcycle awareness; tell your friends, get a bumper sticker for your car or truck and a sign for your lawn, and use social media to spread the word. Remind drivers that motorcyclists are everywhere. Tell them that motorcycles are harder to see than larger vehicles, so they should look twice. Let them know that most motorcycle-car crashes happen at intersections, when a car turns left directly in front of a biker. Motorcycle awareness campaigns don’t work if nobody hears about them.

 

This Motorcycle Awareness Month, get endorsed, get insured, spread the word: let’s do everything we can to protect ourselves on the road, and help ensure a better riding season for all.