Motorcyclists have a certain amount of danger they must juggle while sharing the open road with everything from massive semis and heavy dump trucks to a smaller, quieter Prius.

Those riding motorcycles love the feel of the open road, but also know they must be constantly alert to what’s going on around them because when they crash or are hit by a vehicle, it could almost instantly be fatal.

To help remind regular drivers of this, the Mississippi Department of Transportation has recognized May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

In 2014, 4,586 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes representing 14 percent of total highway fatalities. While that was a decrease from the year prior, further efforts of awareness and commitment to safety are required to reach the ultimate goal of zero deaths on Mississippi highways.

Now that the weather is warmer, breezier and motorcycles are more plentiful on the roads, use MDOT’s gentle reminder to keep them in mind while you’re getting from point A to point B, and always give yourself a much larger time to brake and a greater distance between your vehicle and a motorcycle.