Motorcycle fatalities on the rise

David Beck has been riding motorcycles for 40 years and has never had a serious crash.

"I've had some close calls with people that were drunk and grazed me," he said.

But, the 58-year-old thinks he knows why North Carolina ranked eighth in the nation in the rate of motorcycle fatalities last year, according to AAA of the Carolinas.

"I've seen some of these kids on some of these ‘crotch rockets' and they are just flying down the road," he said. "They're young and they think they're invincible. It's like a toy, but with those toys comes responsibility."

The fear is that the number of motorcycle fatalities in the state will increase as motorcycles become an option for some looking for a cheaper mode of transportation with gas prices around $4 per gallon.

Timmy Porter, co-owner of Motorcycle Fabricators in Havelock, said while his business does not sell new motorcycles, he has seen customers who want to refurbish old cycles.

"I have seen quite a lot of bikes coming in to be brought back to life from the dead since the gas prices went up," Porter said.

He opened his business in April 2007 and said he has had steady business customizing and repairing older motorcycles.

Robby Spivey, general manager of Britt Motorsports in New Bern, said he has seen many people coming into the store as a result of gas prices.

"Just when the gas got to about $3.75, we actually had people coming in to buy just because of the gas," Spivey said.

AAA reports that motorcycle deaths in the state have nearly doubled in the last five years, increasing from 97 in 2003 to 190 last year. According to AAA, motorcycles represent just 2 percent of all vehicles but 12 percent of all fatalities in the state.

According to John Stokes, state records coordinator for the N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program, there were two motorcycle fatalities in Craven County in 2007. Also in 2007, there were three crashes with debilitating injuries, 14 with lesser injuries and 15 with minor injuries in the county.

Beck believes the biggest threat to motorcyclists isn't necessarily reckless driving. He said a lot of times drivers in cars just don't see a cyclist.

"Everybody has blind spots in their mirrors," he said. "You have to perceive the potential for an accident before it happens. Don't think the other cars are going to cut you any slack."

He said cyclists should be on the lookout for danger when riding.

"Expect the unexpected," he said. "You have to look to see the potential situations before they occur. Even if you have the right of way, you may have to give the right of way in order to avoid the accident."

He said any collision between a bike and a car is worse for the cyclist.

"A bike accident is always a bad accident because you don't have any protection around you," Beck said.