Medicine Hat police are reminding drivers of safety tips as motorcyclists return to the roads. Orientaly/Dreamstime.com

By Jayk Sterkenburg

TRANSPORTATION

Police remind drivers of mindfulness with return of motorcycles in Medicine Hat

May 12, 2025 | 3:13 PM

Medicine Hat Police Service say, with the arrival of spring weather, all motorists should drive with motorcycle riders in mind as they return to city roadways.

Sgt. Stacey Fishley said Monday motorcycle riders need to make sure they’re driving appropriately — at the same speed as everyone else.

“The biggest thing to remember as a motorcyclist is that you’re not seen as well,” he said.

The Alberta government said Friday that it’s important for all road users to stay alert and share the road responsibly.

Motorcycle crashes can lead to serious injury or death because riders lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle.

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“You need to do things to protect yourself because you don’t have a vehicle’s body around you to protect you,” said Fishley.

Fishley said motorcycle operators need to make sure they’re wearing proper equipment to make themselves safe on the roadway.

He said equipment includes proper boots, pants, a safety jacket, gloves and eye gear — as well as an approved motorcycle helmet.

The government said motorcycle riders can also wear bright safety gear such as high visibility jackets and helmets, and place reflective tape on parts of the motorcycle closest to a light source.

Fishley said motorcycle operators need to make sure they’re wearing proper equipment to make themselves safe. Ross Lavigne/CHAT News

The province said about one-third of collisions involving a motorcycle end in death or injury, in comparison with about one in 10 deaths or injuries for other vehicle collisions.

Between 2018 and 2022, 137 motorcyclists died and 1,091 were injured on Alberta roads.

The government said motorcycle operators themselves should ride defensively to avoid blind spots of other vehicles.

Fishley said other motorists, when sharing the road with motorcycles, should be aware riders are out there.

“You don’t see them during the winter, so you forget about them, and when springtime comes and all of a sudden it’s a shock because they’re out there,” he said.

“[Drivers] need to make sure that they’re looking for motorcyclists just like they’re looking for bicyclists on the roadway because they’re so small they’re harder to see,” he added.

“You need to make sure that you’re being safe as well as the motorcycle operator being safe.”

Fishley said motorcycle operators can also consider taking a driving course, whether they’re experienced riders or not.

He said it can act as a reminder on operating a vehicle safely on roadways.