"I hear the same stories over and over again,” Jim Gladstone says in the video above. Gladstone is the president of West Coast ABATE of Florida, a non-profit organization that promotes motorcycle safety. His comments were made to WTSP-TV in regards to the motorcycle accident that killed Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Shoulta on April 27, 2012, in Pasco County. Shoulta was riding his motorcycle southbound on Seven Springs Boulevard while off-duty when another driver turned left toward a gas station and directly into Shoulta’s path, WTSP reported.

To demonstrate Gladstone’s point in the video, less than a week before Shoulta’s death, a 28-year-old motorcyclist was badly injured when a car turned into his path on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota. And WTSP also reported that on April 9, a 26-year-old motorcyclist was killed on U.S. Route 41 in Bradenton when a car turned left in front of him.

These terrible accidents should be kept in mind by all motorists in the Sunshine State and throughout the nation, as May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The annual initiative is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and comes at an important time when more and more motorcycles are bound to be hitting roads across the country.

Drivers should keep these tips in mind to avoid being involved in a collision with a motorcycle:

• Look twice for motorcyclists at intersections, where they may be making a left turn.
• Motorcycles can easily disappear into a driver’s blind spots or become hidden behind objects such as signs, trees or other vehicles.
• Motorcyclists do not always brake when slowing down and the lack of brake lights makes it critical to maintain a safe following distance.
• The smaller size of motorcycles makes it difficult to accurately assess their speeds and distances, so it is safest to assume they are traveling quicker than it might appear.
• Certain obstructions on the road can be a larger threat to motorcyclists than other vehicles, and motorists should allow riders enough space to react.
• Slippery surfaces or other adverse road conditions make it tougher for motorcyclists to stop.

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Purchasing a motorcycle is a big decision and there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Are you going to be riding mostly on trails or highways? How much power do you need or want? How experienced are you? These are just some of the questions you need to think about.

A motorcycle should be chosen on the basis of comfort and functional needs:

• Select a motorcycle that fits. You should be able to touch the ground with both feet when astride the cycle.
• Consider passenger needs. If you’re planning on having passengers, you need a seat with foot pegs for the riders.
• Check the location of controls. Make sure you can reach and operate them with ease.
• Buy the power you need and can handle safely. You should be strong enough to push or pull the bike up off the ground if it falls over. But if you plan to travel long distances or are looking for speed and/or performance, a larger cycle may be necessary.
• Consider the primary use of the bike. Some motorcycles are designed for highway use with special tires and more powerful braking systems, while others are designed for off-roading. If you plan to do both, consider a combination cycle.

“Popular Mechanics” published an article with more ideas on things to keep in mind when buying a motorcycle. The above list is just a start and you should always be sure to read your owner’s manual thoroughly.

Think about it.

May kicks off Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, an initiative supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). With temperatures on the rise and motorcyclists on the roads, it is a great time to remind all drivers to share the road.

Over two-thirds of vehicle-motorcycle accidents are caused by drivers, not motorcyclists and lead to more serious injuries and deaths. The most noted reason is that drivers tend look for other vehicles and don’t notice cyclists until it is too late. Because motorcycles provide virtually no protection – there are no seatbelts, a rider can easily be thrown off in an accident. Here are a few safety tips for cyclists.

1. Practice defensive riding. Avoid riding in blind spots, use turn signals, and extra caution when passing a vehicle.
2. Position yourself to be seen. Use lane placement to help you see further and others to see you.
3. Use protective eyewear and wear protective clothing to serve as a buffer from the impact of an accident.
4. Use a helmet even if it is not required in your state. Generally speaking, those who wear a helmet suffer far less head injuries and/or are less seriously injured.

But, motorcycle safety is not just for the cyclists; auto drivers need to be vigilant, too. Here are a few safety tips for auto drivers.

1. Be aware of motorcycles at intersections and when the cyclist may be making a left turn or changing lanes.
2. Anticipate a motorcyclist's maneuver: Obstructions that you do not notice may be deadly for a motorcyclist.
3. Don't follow too closely behind a motorcycle; allow plenty of room.

Remember, motorcyclists have the same rights and privileges as other drivers. Increased awareness by everyone will result in increased safety.

Mark Bello has thirty-five years experience as a trial lawyer and thirteen years as an underwriter and situational analyst in the lawsuit funding industry. He is the owner and founder of Lawsuit Financial Corporation which helps provide legal finance cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life litigation funding is needed by a plaintiff involved in pending, personal injury, litigation. Bello is a Justice Pac member of the American Association for Justice, Sustaining and Justice Pac member of the Michigan Association for Justice, Member of Public Justice and Public Citizen, Business Associate of the Florida, Mississippi, Connecticut, Texas, and Tennessee Associations for Justice, and Consumers Attorneys of California, member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan and the Injury Board.

As the temperature rises so do the number of motorcycles out on Minnesota roads – and across the nation for that matter. The month of May has been declared Motorcycle Safety Awareness month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In an effort to support this campaign, I will be publishing a few blogs this month with tips on how to make motorcycling a safer means of transportation for all users of our roadways -- because motorcycle safety is an issue for cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

A large part of NHTSA’s message is directed to all motorists to “Share the Road” and be on the lookout for motorcycles. Our firm handles numerous accidents involving motorcyclists every year and one thing we have seen is that the accident is rarely the cyclist’s fault. Nonetheless, motorcyclists should make every effort to make themselves visible by wearing bright colors, using reflective tape and not riding in other motorists’ blind spots.

As for the other, non-cycling motorists on the roads, keep in mind that because motorcycles are small, they can be difficult to see or judge their speed or distance. Here are a few tips for other vehicles on the road:

• Allow a motorcycle a full lane width. Motorcycles need room to maneuver and it is neither safe nor legal for vehicles to share a lane with them.
• Always signal you intentions before changing lanes or merging. This puts the motorcyclist on notice as to your intentions and allows them to find a safe lane position.
• Always check your mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles. This is especially important in before changing lanes and at intersections.
• Allow more following distance – 3 or 4 seconds – behind motorcycles. Motorcycles often have to react to even minor changes in road conditions.
• Don’t be fooled by a motorcycle turning signal. Some motorcycles don’t have self-cancelling turn signals and sometimes cyclists forget to turn them off – don’t assume the cyclist is going to turn and start passing them.

Just remember: Whether you’re riding a motorcycle or driving a vehicle, motorcycle safety is everyone’s responsibility. Share the road.

Think about it.

This past March saw the first death of a motorcycle rider in Minnesota in 2012. 2011 saw 22 deaths by September this was 5 ahead of that time last year. We have to keep working to get back below the record low of 24 in 1997. But there are many more riders. Experts have been pointing to increased gas prices, overall economics, and the advantages concerning parking as the reason for more riders. Others just point out the joy of getting out on the open road. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety numbers show 112,551 registered riders in 1996, 149,000 in 2002 and 224,625 in 2008 and there are more now more then 230,000.

A past Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial got a number of comments after it made the following suggestions to deal with the increase:

• Increased training of new drivers.
• More emphasis on sober riding.
• The Increased use of safety equipment.
• Drivers paying more attention on the roads.

The discussion about helmets dominated most of the responses. Clearly, this is one there may not ever be an agreement on, but as to the other suggestions, they really make a lot of sense. Every new driver needs to get the all important training that riding a motorcycle isn't like a bike or a car.

As a law firm that represents a large number of riders, we've seen the devastation caused by car/bike collisions. If we can go into the rest of the riding season with an eye to reducing vs. increasing the number of deaths it will make for a much better finish.