Signs warn drivers to "Watch for Motorcycles" | News

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- An insurance company is hoping new signs alerting drivers to "watch for motorcycles" will help reduce the number of accidents involving bikes and other vehicles.

In Kent County in 2010, MDOT reported 76 motorcycle crashes. Eight of those collisions resulted in the death of a rider.  About two-thirds of the crashes also involved cars and other larger vehicles.

To help bring those numbers down, new signs are going up throughout Grand Rapids.

Allstate Insurance is installing signs at dangerous intersections, warning drivers to watch for motorcycles. The program is called "Once Is Never Enough."  One of the first signs went up Tuesday at Fulton St. W and Deloney Ave. NW.

Nearly half of the accidents involving motorcycles in 2010 happened at intersections. The goal of the program is to prevent those types of crashes.

"With the economy the way it is, there's a lot more motorcycles on the road, people trying to save money on gas and transportation," says Grand Rapids Police Sgt. Alan Noles. "With that, you have a lot more motorcyclists on the road who aren't that experienced. Those motorcyclists as well need to take extra precautions when traveling around the roadways."

Twenty-nine other cities across the country are also getting the warning signs.