Caution Signs for Glendale to Improve Motorcycle Safety at Dangerous Intersections

WHAT: More than 3,000 motorcycle crashes occurred in Los Angeles County in 2009, and the stretch for most crashes is July, August and September. So Allstate is gearing up its Once is Never Enough (ONE) program to help prevent needless crashes from taking place at intersections.

Working with the California Department of Transportation, Allstate has ID'd intersections with the most motorcycle collisions, and is installing yellow diamond-shaped cautionary traffic signs-the silhouette of a motorcycle--to remind all traffic everywhere to look twice at intersections.

Los Angeles is one of 25 cities across the country where Allstate is posting these caution signs this year. A digital image of the signs is available upon request.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 20
10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Glenoaks Blvd. and Brand Blvd.
Glendale

WHO: Jim Klapthor, Allstate Insurance Company
Local public safety-motorcycle police officer(s)

**HOW MANY: **
According to Caltrans, there were 3,407 motorcycle crashes documented in Los Angeles County in 2009.
-Of the documented crashes, 2,707 (80 percent) resulted in an injury and 80 resulted in a fatality (2.3 percent).
-A quarter of all motorcycle crashes occurred at intersections (816 of 3,407).
-The intersections Big Pines Highway at Route 2, and Sepulveda Boulevard at Route 405 are each the site of 11 motorcycle crashes (2009), earning the dubious distinction of having more motorcycle crashes than any other crossroads in America.
-The most crashes occurred in LA County during July (349) and August (344).
-The stretch for most crashes is July, August and September (338) with 1,031 crashes (2009)

BACKGROUND:
"Once is Never Enough" (ONE) was created by Allstate to encourage motorists to look left, right and left again for motorcyclists before crossing an intersection-a dangerous traffic setting for riders. In 2008, a survey commissioned by Allstate found 82 percent of motorcyclists are concerned about automobile drivers more than anything else on the road.

Cautionary motorcycle traffic signs also being installed this month in California:
- Sacramento (July 13)
- San Francisco (Berkeley, July 18)
- San Diego (Vista, July 25)

MORE: Allstate is available upon request for in-studio motorcycle safety-related interview/discussion, accompanied by full-size mock-ups of the street-legal motorcycle caution signs.