ROCKDALE, Texas — The City of Rockdale and local organization, Texas Trauma and LifeSaver Training signed a proclamation Monday evening, marking May "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month."
- The number of motorcyclists on the road is set to increase as temperatures rise in Milam County.
- One motorcyclist dies every day, according to TxDOT who reported about 562 deaths and 2,422 serious injuries in 2022.
- Organizer Penni Fuller says she and other members of the biker community will be dedicated to teaching drivers to pay attention to motorcycles on the roads in May.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
When Bike Club Leader Lee Faust pulls up, you know he's there.
But he can’t say the same for local drivers on the road.
“People aren’t as vigilant when it comes to looking for bikers in the rural areas. It’s more of 'Glance, glance and go,'" Faust said.
That's just one reason he’s supporting the city after community leaders signed a proclamation Monday, marking May “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month."
"It's very important for all of us bikers, especially when the weather’s warming up. We're gonna be on the road a lot more than the past few months," he said.
But for the woman behind it, her drive to educate neighbors is personal.
“I am a retired ER trauma nurse as well as an avid motorcyclist. Within this, I'm very involved in motorcycle safety awareness within the community, really getting other people who are not riders to understand the uniqueness of the safety issues with motorcycles, you know, and what riders face," Penni Fuller, owner and instrutor for organization, Texas Trauma and LifeSaver Training, said.
Everyday, according to TxDOT where one motorcyclist dies every day on Texas roads — a total of 562 rider fatalities in 2022 and over four times as many serious injuries.
"I’ve had good friends. People just weren’t paying attention. They didn’t look twice, didn’t see the motorcycle, and unfortunately, it caused very serious injury," Faust said.
With a few close calls himself, Faust is hoping it makes a difference on and off the road.
“If you take that extra half second, second and just look, you can save somebody’s life," he said.
