May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month — a time to remind fleet drivers to take extra precautions to make sure they share the road safely with motorcycles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following safety tips:

• Though a motorcycle is a small vehicle, its operator still has all the rights of the road as any other motorist. Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times.

• Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.

• If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful. Motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding.

• Check all mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections.

• Always allow more following distance — three to four seconds — when behind a motorcycle. This gives the motorcycle driver more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

• Never drive distracted or impaired.