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Help 'End the Streak' and spread motorcycle safety awareness with free yard signs

About 100 signs will be displayed at the TxDOT Corpus Christi office and will be available for pickup at noon Wednesday.
Credit: TxDOT

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas Department of Transportation- Corpus Christi District wants people to 'Share the Road' with motorcycles and will give away yard signs to help spread their message. 

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and TxDOT will once again display about 100 motorcycle safety yard signs at its district headquarters on Wednesday and make the signs available for pickup by riders/motorists for their use. 

The limited number of signs will be available for contactless pickup on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at noon Wednesday at TxDOT’s office, 1701 South Padre Island Drive. 

TxDOT’s annual “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign is under way to call attention to the safety precautions motorists can take to protect motorcyclists and themselves.

State officials report that 519 motorcycle riders died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, a 7% increase over the previous year. And even though motorcycles comprise less than 2% of vehicles in Texas, they accounted for 12% of the fatalities in 2021.

Corpus Christi is among the top 10 Texas cities that experienced the most motorcycle fatalities in 2021.

  • In 2021, the number of motorcycle traffic crashes in the Corpus Christi District totaled 189. These crashes resulted in 10 motorcyclist (operators and passengers) deaths and 42 motorcyclists being seriously injured. The Corpus Christi District includes Aransas, Bee, Goliad, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio counties.
  • In 2021, the number of motorcycle traffic crashes in the city of Corpus Christi totaled 127. These crashes resulted in eight motorcyclist (operators and passengers) deaths and 19 motorcyclists being seriously injured.

TxDOT offers these life-saving safety tips for drivers to protect motorcyclists and prevent crashes:

  • Take extra care when making a left turn. Always assume motorcycles are closer than they appear and avoid turning in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
  • Pay special attention at intersections. A third of motorcycle fatalities happen at roadway intersections.
  • Give driving your full attention. Even a momentary distraction, such as answering a phone call or changing the radio station, can have deadly consequences.
  • Look twice when changing lanes. Check mirrors, check blind spots and always use turn signals.
  • Give motorcyclists room when passing them. Move over to the passing lane and don’t crowd the motorcyclist’s full lane.
  • Stay back. If you’re behind a motorcycle, always maintain a safe following distance. When a motorcyclist downshifts instead of applying the brake to slow down, it can catch drivers off guard since there are no brake lights to signal reduced speed.
  • Slow down. Obey posted speed limits and drive to conditions.

The “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices behind the wheel, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, avoiding distractions, and never driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. November 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. 

#EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways.

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