Motorcyclists hit the road as weather warms up

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – As warmer weather kicks in, more people are out on the roads traveling and that includes motorcyclists.

A sergeant with the police department and one rider spoke about the importance of motorcycle safety.

“Speed is a huge contributing factor in a lot of accidents, whether it be motorcycles or vehicles,” said Sgt. Gary Thurman with LPD. “So, just slow down on the road please.”

In 2023, there were 119 accidents involving motorcycles in Lexington. Of those accidents, 66 ended with injuries and six with fatalities.

Donald Nuckolls, not only sells motorcycles, he also rides.

“It’s not just about you learning how to ride the motorcycle, it’s about being aware of everything that’s around you,” said Nuckolls. “That’s the major thing.”

He says that once the weather warms up, they start seeing more sales.

“Every year when the weather starts getting warmer we see the people coming out to take these things out onto the streets to have some fun,” said Nuckolls.

In the state of Kentucky it is not required for motorcyclists to wear a helmet.

“It’s not required to wear a helmet if you’re over the age of 21 and you’ve held a motorcycle license for longer than a year,” said Sgt. Thurman. “Passengers, if they’re over the age of 21, do not have to wear a helmet.”

Sgt. Thurman says without a helmet, “The risk of serious injury or fatality greatly increases if you’re not wearing a helmet.”

Some riders can be seen wearing helmets for safety. And when selling bikes, helmets are still recommended.

“We recommend that everybody wear a helmet,” said Nuckolls. “Whenever I ride I always have a helmet, I know that the law says you don’t have to have it, but it’s totally up to the person that gets on that bike that day.”

Remember to always look out for motorcycles and check your blind spots for them.