On a day of several bad motorcycle crashes, police and driving instructors are saying all drivers need to brush up on their skills and manners.
Two men had to be airlifted after motorcycle crashes in Vaughan and Mulmur today. The man involved in the crash in Vaughan later died in hospital. And in Brampton early this morning two men were killed when they were thrown off a motorcycle after colliding with a car.
Police are still investigating.
With the summer-like weather finally here many people are back on their bikes, and that means more vehicles and less space on the roads. Drivers of cars and trucks need to get comfortable with sharing the road with motorcycles.
“Early in the season we are in a bit of a paradigm,” says Al Campbell, who runs the motorcycle training course at Georgian College in Barrie. “Folks in cars look at us but don't see us because it's been six to eight months since they have seen us.”
He recommends riders wear bright clothing or helmets to make them more visible.
It's also the season for big rides – fundraisers where hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of motorcyclists hit the road.
“All drivers have to remember how to drive with each other out here,” says Const. Jason Vandersar with the South Simcoe Police Service. He says there is “still dirt and lots of small rocks on roads” which makes it “slippery for bikers.”
“Be careful and slow it down,” he says.
Dylan Benoit is trying to get his driver’s licence. He says he always has safety in the back of his mind when on the bike.
“I have driven in the past, but this course is nice,” he says. “It helps break down safety and the fundamentals.”
Police are reminding people to double check their blind spots and are telling to bikers to remember they aren’t always seen by all drivers.
