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By Karen Cohilas - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A Tifton Police Officer, killed while responding to a call on his patrol motorcycle, is being remembered on a Motorcycle Safety Awareness tour this week. The Governor's Office of Highway Safety wants drivers to share the road with motorcyclists.... and for everyone to obey the rules of the road.
They're traveling the state to raise awareness and, hopefully, save lives. Just last week, Tifton Police Officer Terry Adams was killed when a pickup truck pulled out of a shopping center and collided with his motorcycle head-on.
"It should have been prevented," said Bob Dallas, Director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. "What it is, is too often the folks driving the car just aren't paying attention and becoming aware of the fact that a lot of motorcyclists are out there so they pull out looking for a car, but it's a motorcycle they pull out in front of."
That's why Dallas, who runs the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, has suited up with folks from his office and law enforcement agencies throughout the state on the first ever Georgia Motorcycle awareness tour.
Dallas said, "We're sharing the road. We're all using our common roadway and if we follow the rules it's safe. When the rules get broken, it's not safe."
Powell Harrelson is a former bike cop and now works as law enforcement coordinator for the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. He said, "Motorcycle fatalities are up around the state and we're just trying to promote motorcycle safety and highway safety."
And preventing any more tragic deaths, like that of Officer Adams. "It touched me in a soft spot," said Harrelson, "because I used to be a motor officer and It's bad for us to lose an officer for any reason, but one on a motorcycle is a special place for me."
The motorcycle awareness tour continues across the state through Thursday. Officials want to make sure Motorcyclists do their part as well: Wear proper gear at all times, including helmets approved by the Department of Transportation. Don't speed and weave in and out of traffic and always obey traffic laws.
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