CLEVELAND — The beginning of May has historically marked the start of the most dangerous time of the year for motorcyclists in Ohio with sharp upticks in crashes and deaths coinciding with the warmer months. Both the Ohio State Highway Patrol and avid motorcyclists are urging the motoring public to share the roadway.
From 2018 to 2022, there were nearly 19,000 crashes involving motorcycles in Ohio, which resulted in the death of more than 950 motorcyclists. Nearly 5300 motorcyclists were injured in that time period. According to state data, more than 80 percent of motorcycle crashes happen between the months of May and October.
With May serving as motorcycle safety awareness month, OSHP is urging motorcyclists to not only wear a helmet but also undergo proper training to earn their motorcycle endorsement on their license. Safety is also a two-way street, said Sgt. Bridget Matt.
“We want to make sure that anyone that enjoys riding their motorcycle out there on Ohio’s roadways stays safe and uses common sense when they are riding their motorcycle and to wear their helmet,” Sgt. Matt said. “We ask all motorists to be cognizant and aware of everyone that shares the roadway.”
Marlon Brown, an avid motorcyclist that owns a barbershop in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood, has had a number of close calls. In 2016, a driver was talking on her phone when she pulled out in front of Brown. The ensuing crash left him with a broken hip and femur. Although the traumatic nature of the crash made him reticent to ride on Denison Avenue for years, the crash hasn’t deterred him from getting back on the bike.
“I always say it is the world’s best stress relief. If you have the worst day ever, you hop on [the motorcycle] and hit that wind, everything is gone,” Brown said. “We know what we do is dangerous in and of itself. There is a high likelihood every night that that bike not make it back to the kickstand. There’s always two kinds of riders: either you’ve dropped it or you are going to drop it.”
On April 11, one of Brown’s friends and clients, 29-year-old Eugene Smith, was riding his motorcycle on State Road near Leopold Avenue, just a few blocks away from Brown’s barber shop. As Smith traveled southbound, the driver of an SUV attempted to make a left turn directly in his path. Smith, a father of three, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It was rough. It always is. You never want to hear about a rider going down period, whether you know them or you don’t know them,” Brown said. “ Being that he was a close friend and a client, that one hurt.”
Those painful phone calls have become all too common in Ohio in recent years. Historically, the state has averaged around 4000 motorcycle crashes per year and 140 deaths. However, there were strong upticks in motorcycle deaths in both 2021 and 2022.
“It is the worst time of the year. Beginning of the season, it’s sad to say, you know that almost inevitably you are going to lose 2, 3, 4 friends,” Brown said. “Everybody has been hibernating all winter and non-riders aren’t accustomed to motorcycles yet.”
There were 209 deaths in motorcycle crashes in 2022 and 212 deaths in motorcycle crashes in 2021. Both of those numbers are more than 30 percent higher than average.
Curbing those trends hinge greatly on motorcyclists ensuring they have proper training, helmets and other safety equipment. Other drivers also have to ensure they are aware of motorcyclists on the road, especially when they are crossing intersections, merging into traffic and changing lanes.
“In a traditional car or vehicle, you have a metal cage protecting you. You have airbags,” Sgt. Matt said. “With a motorcycle, you don’t have those same safety features. That’s why it’s critically important to wear your helmet when riding a motorcycle and be cognizant of the road and be a defensive driver.”
Awareness is one of the most important things, Brown said.
“My radio [on my motorcycle] is obnoxiously loud. That’s so you hear me,” Brown said. “If you hear me for a half a block, that’s because you’re looking for me. If you’re looking for me, chances you are you won’t hit me. I don’t want to bother y’all any more than y’all want to be bothered. We try to stay away from vehicles in our own lane and out of the way. When we are revving at a light, it’s so you can hear us.”
