County urges motorists to 'share the road'

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com
LINDEN—In 2015 alone, 455 motorcyclists were killed in Texas by motorists who were at-fault.
David MacKay, with Iron Apostles Motorcycle Ministry, spoke to Cass County Commissioners Court April 26 about the importance of Motorcycle Safety And Awareness Month, which is celebrated nationwide each May.
“You’re going to see more and more motorcyclists on the road (as summer approaches),”he said. “We’re just trying to get the word out there and make drivers more aware of motorcycles.”
By unanimous consent, Commissioners’ Court passed a resolution naming May as Motorcycle Safety And Awareness Month in the county. Precinct 3 Commissioner Paul Cothren, who presided over the court, said that the county’s support was going beyond simply signing a proclamation.
He said that in each of the county’s four precincts yellow warning signs advising motorists to “share the road” will be posted.
Safety tips
The National Highway Safety Administration says that the best option for motorists is to be aware of their surroundings. They offer the following general tips to drivers on how to prevent a fatal crash with a motorcycle:
• Though a motorcycle is a small vehicle, its operator still has all the rights of the road as any other motorist. Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times.
• Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful: motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding.
• Check all mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections.
• Always allow more follow distance – three to four seconds – when behind a motorcycle. This gives them more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.
County road work
In other court action, com¬missioners approved a bid package from paving contractor HV Caver, of Atlanta, to widen and chip seal portions of County Roads 3333, 3659 and 4559. The bid came is at $219,922.20.
Cothren said the funds will come from a County Transportation Infrastructure Fund Grant (CTIF Grant), which is administered through the Texas Department of Transportation.
The grant was created in 2013 to provide funding to eligible counties for transportation infrastructure projects located in areas of the state affected by increased oil and gas production. These counties are ones identified by the state as “economically disadvantaged.”
Cothren noted that the $219,000 was “well under” what the county was awarded by the state.