Insurer works with city of Las Vegas to promote motorcycle safety
An insurance company is collaborating with the city of Las Vegas to post warning signs alerting motorists to keep an eye out for motorcyclists.
Four “Watch for motorcycles” signs were installed Wednesday on approaches to the intersection of Stewart Avenue and Lamb Boulevard.
Las Vegas Allstate Insurance agent Anthony Fagiana, a motorcyclist, was on hand for the installation, the 38th under Allstate’s “Once is Never Enough” Rider Protection Project, a collection of company safety programs.
“Once is Never Enough” refers to the number of times motorists look at crossing traffic when making a right turn on red when stopped at a traffic light.
“In addition to being an Allstate agency owner here in Las Vegas, I am also a longtime motorcycle rider,” Fagiana said. “I’m so glad that Allstate has committed to installing the ‘Watch for motorcycles’ signs in my hometown, helping to keep drivers and motorists safe by reminding everyone to look twice for motorcycles, because once is never enough.”
The Nevada Transportation Department said there have been 5,757 crashes involving motorcyclists in Clark County between 2006 and 2013 and of those crashes, 52 percent occurred at or near intersections. Of those crashes, 218 resulted in a death and in two-thirds of those fatal crashes, another vehicle was involved.
One-sixth of motorcycle accidents occurred on a Saturday and nearly 10 percent of them occurred between 5 and 6 p.m. — one of the toughest times of the day to see oncoming motorcycles because of the twilight.
May is considered the most dangerous month for motorcycles with 608 crashes reported.
The city of Las Vegas identified the intersection of Stewart and Lamb as one of the city’s busiest and a frequent location for motorcycle traffic.
Since 2012, Allstate has worked to install 167 of the yellow diamond warning signs in 37 cities across 19 states.
Fagiana, a 24-year Las Vegas resident who has ridden his 2006 Honda VTX 1300 cycle for about six years, hopes to get more motorcycle warning signs installed in Las Vegas. He hopes signs can be installed at the intersection of Rainbow and Oakey boulevards near a popular biker bar.
Other programs in Allstate’s Rider Protection Project include a Rider Risk Map, an interactive Facebook map that lets motorcycle riders flag locations that may be particularly dangerous for fellow riders; the Rider Protection Zone, a traveling rider experience listing 11 of the highest profile motorcycle rallies around the country; and the Good Ride App, a smartphone application that can be used to track rides; log bike maintenance; alert friends and family that they’re headed out for a ride; and remind others to watch for motorcyclists
Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find him on Twitter: @RickVelotta.
