SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – At Hap’s Cycle Sales in Sarasota, while all eyes are focusing on riding on the open roadways, employees and customers are still saddened by a recent rash of fatal motorcycle crashes along the Suncoast.
Just a few weeks ago, an 18-year-old Parrish Community High School student was killed while riding his motorcycle.
Monday, another 18-year-old lost their life in a motorcycle crash in Nokomis.
“It makes me think sometime, that maybe I should hang up my helmet for good. But then again, I could die of cancer, so really, you only live once,” said Bill Thomas, who said he’d been riding motorcycles since the 1970′s.
At Hap’s Cycle Sales in Sarasota, while thoughts of selling beautiful new motorcycles and dirt bikes takes center stage each day, so too does safety.
“Motorcyclists should always drive as if they’re invisible on the roadways and stay aware,” said Stephen Bixler of Hap’s Cycle Sales.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, fatal motorcycle crashes have been on the increase in Florida. In 2020, records show 552 people lost their lives, and by 2022, the number had grown to 631.
Investigators said 255 of the fatalities involved victims not wearing helmets.
In Sarasota County, 13 motorcycle fatalities were reported in 2020, 14 in 2021, and 9 in 2022.
In Manatee County, state statistics reveal 9 motorcycle fatalities in 2020, 12 in 2021, and 17 in 2022.
“We have to stay aware of our surroundings, and always remember, we share the roads here with drivers from all over the country,” Bixler added.
To learn more about safety tips and licensing laws for motorcycles in Florida, visit: fdot.gov.
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