JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – With summer here, you may see more bikers on the roads.
A group of local female bikers wants motorists to understand how important getting home whole is.
“We’re moms. We’re wives, we’re daughters, we’re grandmothers and we just want to make it home in one piece and we want to enjoy our ride getting there,” said Capri Payne, a local biker.
An issue these bikers have run into is distracted driving.
“I’ve had more near calls through cell phone usage than anything,” said Payne.
For most, it’s only a close encounter, but for Gabriel Hass, it was a scary reality.
“We were going through the light and I guess some lady was just on her phone,” said Hass.
A collision with a distracted driver almost cost Hass her life.
“I’m going to die, this is it. You know, I’m never going to see my kids again,” said Hass.
The wreck left Hass with serious injuries.
“Two broken legs, my femur actually pushed out my kneecap, my tibia pushed out by my ankle,” said Hass.
Hass also suffered from road rash, her handlebars went through her chest, and she was on a ventilator for weeks.
Some tips Payne has for motorists and fellow bikers include making sure not to get in the middle of a group of bikers, they’re in a group for safety reasons.
She also said not to blow your grass clippings into the road when mowing, it creates a dangerous situation for bikers similar to black ice.
–from the NMA
