Most of us no doubt in recent years have caught a glimpse of those conspicuously placed messages on bumper stickers and yard signs distributed by the Ohio Safety Council that sport bright yellow backgrounds and roar out these four simple emboldened words: “LOOK OUT FOR MOTORCYCLES.”

Sadly, far too many of us fail to heed that crucial and potentially life-saving advice.

Roadways across Ohio filled with smashed pieces of once-slick and shiny Harleys and Kawasakis as well as severely injured — many fatally — cyclists prove that point all too well.

In fact, Ohio has witnessed an increase in motorcycle crashes and fatalities in recent years that are contributing to an alarming increase in overall traffic fatalities in the state so far this year.

Data recently released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol covering 2021 through 2025 reveal 19,674 motorcycle crashes, 17,500 injuries and 1,096 fatalities in our state. During that same period in the Mahoning Valley, Trumbull County recorded 404 crashes with 25 fatalities, Mahoning County logged 382 crashes with 18 fatalities, and Columbiana County reported 228 crashes with 12 fatalities.

Those grim statistics prove that motorcyclists who enjoy the freedom and thrill that open-air riding provides must also live with its inherent dangers.

Those dangers are stark. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in a crash than occupants of an enclosed vehicle. And though motorcycles comprise roughly only 3% of all registered vehicles in the United States, they account for more than 16% of all motor-vehicle crashes.

And those dangers accelerate this time of year. That’s because we’re smack dab in the middle of the so-called “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” from Memorial Day to Labor Day. For motorcyclists, the surge results from a significant increase in the number of riders, a sharp upturn in tourist and other traffic and far more cases of irresponsible distracted driving from passenger vehicles, many of them driven by young and inexperienced operators.

So far this summer, the Valley has recorded at least two fatal motorcycle crashes on state Route 82 in Howland and on state Route 82 and Warner Road in Brookfield. That’s two too many. Then just this Tuesday night, initial reports indicated at least one person was critically injured in a motorcycle crash on U.S. Route 422 in Youngstown.

In most motorcycle crashes, the onus of blame rests squarely on operators of passenger vehicles. According to the NHTSA, in 7 out of 10 crashes in the United States, the other driver is at fault for ignoring the legitimate right-of-way of the motorcyclist.

To be sure, however, motorcycle safety must be considered a shared responsibility. Cyclists need to wear high visibility gear and secure headgear, use lane positions strategically and anticipate hazards while passenger vehicle motorists must actively check blind spots and mirrors while maintaining a strong and singular focus on the road.

Those drivers also must pay particularly close attention at intersections. According to the NHTSA, some 35% of all fatal cycle accidents happen at intersections. The high frequency of crashes there is largely due to reduced visibility and drivers misjudging distances.

That’s why the 12-second rule should be a priority commandment for both motorcyclists and car, SUV and truck drivers.

That rule is a visual scanning technique taught in courses by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Specifically, it directs cycle riders to keep their eyes scanning the road 12 seconds ahead of their current location. That’s been proven to be sufficient time to eyeball hazards, process any possible challenges and react to them calmly and smoothly.

That’s also sage advice for all motorists, particularly considering that pedestrian injuries and fatalities also are on a disturbing upward trajectory in the Buckeye State.

Pedestrian fatalities have risen by nearly 50% nationwide since 2014 and in Ohio, pedestrian-related crashes have led to more than 850 deaths since 2019, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Just last weekend, a pedestrian was struck and killed while attempting to cross U.S. Route 422 in Warren. In 2024, pedestrian fatalities in Mahoning County accounted for a full 35% of all traffic deaths.

Like motorcycle safety, pedestrian safety must also be regarded as a shared responsibility. Drivers must yield at crosswalks, keep an eye out for walkers, slow down in school zones and avoid distractions. Pedestrians should only cross streets at intersections or marked crosswalks, avoid distracted walking and wear bright-colored or reflective clothing after dark.

By heeding that advice as well as the stark message emblazoned on those bright yellow cycle signs, all can do their part toward slamming the brakes on the troubling trend of accelerating traffic carnage in our s