Summer has arrived, and with it comes many motorcycles on the road. With that in mind, it’s important for both motorcyclists and other drivers to practice safe driving habits. Iowa State Trooper Jason Marlow says the first thing a motorcyclist can do to protect themselves is to wear a helmet. Although Iowa does not have a law requiring people to wear helmets while riding motorcycles, a helmet can protect the driver from serious head injury.

Marlow believes most motorcyclists have gotten much better at driving defensively, so he feels it’s mostly up to automobile drivers to keep a look out for motorcycles. He said when approaching stop or yield signs, take an extra second to look both ways, as motorcycles can easily be lost in blind spots.

Additionally, group motorcycling has become a common social way to travel during the summer, so Marlow reminds people to stay alert because where you see one motorcycle, often times there will be more.