Share the Road: Motorcycle safety

LAFAYETTE — Since Sunday, five people have died in motorcycle crashes across Central Indiana. Different circumstances led to those crashes and we're taking a closer look at the safest ways for bikers and drivers to share the road.

"This piece of paper in the box here,” said Daniel McNulty, Driving Instructor for Riders First Motorcycle Training. "The self-assessment chart and there are some categories where motorcyclists are to start self-assessing as they develop as a rider."

McNulty has been riding for 25 years.

"25 years of riding, I think I've taken 22 or 23 classes, and I always learn something new,” McNulty said.

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Every Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., off State Road 26 East in Lafayette, Daniel teaches up to 20 people how to ride.

"We hear a lot of, 'Oh my family all rides, we have always been a family of riders, I want to be a part of that, my friends all ride, I want to be a part of that, or I'm just looking for a new adventure," McNulty said.

It is a thrilling experience that can be dangerous.

"It's one of the reasons Riders First was born. It was born from a couple of coaches who saw a possibility for greater access to more people in Indiana to have access to rider safety training," McNulty said.

Continued education Daniel said can improve statistics and keep more people alive.

WATCH | Motorcyclist, passenger killed in hit-and-run

"It's never one thing, it's never that one person on their phone in the car or something else, it's always a multitude of factors," McNulty said.

"Motorcycles are smaller. They are a little bit harder to see and a car has four fairly large contacts with the road and motorcycles have two very small contacts with the road. They don't stop at the same distance as a car," McNulty said.

"A helmet needs to be DOT-approved. It needs to be 5 years or younger. As they start to get past 5 years they start to deteriorate," McNulty said.

"Riders First Motorcycle Training" has 10 locations across Central Indiana, Daniel encourages all riders to keep improving their skills.