FORT MYERS, Fla. - May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, and a local safety group called ABATE, American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, is working to make sure everyone shares our roads safely.

"We're being slaughtered out there and there's absolutely nothing being done about it'" said Frankie Kennedy, President of the Southwest Florida ABATE group.

Motorcycle popularity is on the rise. According to Kennedy, more than a million riders are now licensed in Florida, up from 40,000 in 2001. With more bikes on the roads, often comes more wrecks.

"Fatalities certainly go up around this time of year, there's no doubt about that. But they go up nationwide," said Kennedy.

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, 20 motorcyclists died in 2008, and there were 278 accidents.

In many cases, motorists are cited, after pulling directly into the path of bikes.

"85-percent of those wrecks where there's a fatality, its not the fault of the motorcycle rider," said Kennedy. "If one guy gets killed on a motorcycle because someone failed to yield right of way, that's one guy too many.

"You have to be aware of your surroundings, you have to be very aware that motorcyclists are trying to share the road with you. You need to watch out for them," said Kennedy.

State law now requires riders to take a safety course before they can get their motorcycle endorsement.

It's a step in the right direction according Kennedy, who also urges rider to follow the law, and use common sense.

"Because motorcycles are so much smaller than a car, we're vulnerable," said Kennedy. "Definitely pay attention, you have to be very, very cautious. You have to drive extremely defensively."

For more information on ABATE:
http://southwest.abateflorida.com/

For More information on motorcycle safety courses:
http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?state=FL