The spike in motorcycle deaths in Minnesota and nationwide this year has renewed efforts to remind those traveling on both four wheels and two wheels to watch out for one another.

Every spring and summer, public safety officials roll out "Share the Road" campaigns. The campaigns call on vehicle drivers to look twice before entering a roadway or changing lanes, to check blind spots constantly and not to crowd motorcyclists. But some drivers say the campaigns put the onus on vehicle drivers to prevent crashes and leave bikers off the hook.

Reader Mary Switras said she's irked by a "Look Twice for Motorcycles" public service announcement from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS). The spot that has aired on TV and plays on YouTube shows a somewhat distracted car driver switching lanes and colliding with a motorcyclist who says to himself, "I wonder if she sees me" just before passing her on the right.

"When I was a new driver, I was told that you should never pass on the right," Switras said. "I've seen riders on bikes zipping around cars on both the left and right. While I know most are safe drivers, the ones whose common sense is completely absent are the ones that stand out to auto drivers. 'Pole position' is no way to drive safely, whether surrounded with a ton of steel or just a leather jacket."

Authorities say speed, alcohol use and failure to wear helmets are the leading factors in fatal crashes involving motorcyclists. Vehicle drivers also say unpredictable actions play a role in causing collisions between motorcycles and vehicles.

Another reader stuck in gridlock on a Twin Cities freeway said he became infuriated when he saw a motorcyclist ride between two lanes of traffic. The practice, known as lane-splitting or stripe-riding, is illegal in Minnesota. "That can be very scary when they are cruising down the centerline," said Stephanie Kaufenberg, a DPS spokeswoman.

About half of Minnesota's 40-plus motorcycle deaths to date this year have involved a collision with a vehicle. The other half involved only the motorcyclist; many of those were attributed to losing control on a curve, Kaufenberg said.

Last year 55 motorcyclists died on state roads and more than 5,000 died nationally. According to a report put out this spring by the Governors Highway Safety Association, motorcycle deaths are closing in on an all-time high, and motorcyclists are one of the few groups where little progress has been made on reducing fatalities over the past decade.

While both camps might want to point fingers, it comes down to personal responsibility, Kaufenberg said.

Vehicle drivers need to focus on driving, be alert and not violate bikers' right of way.

Motorcyclists need to wear helmets (37 percent effective in preventing deaths according to some studies), need to slow down (35 percent of fatal crashes attributed to speeding), and drive sober (29 percent of fatalities involved drunken bikers). They also need to hone their skills in riding classes, wear the proper gear and "not do dangerous maneuvers just because they are fun," Kaufenberg said.

"We work on our campaigns each year and focus on both sides," she said. "It comes to awareness. We are speaking to both sides."

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