Viral dashcam video a warning for new motorcyclists

Dash cam video of a motorcyclist being thrown from his bike after hitting loose cargo on I-94 has taken the internet by storm.

The motorcyclist, 20-year-old Brendan Jankowski, survived the crash, but it has still come as a lesson to everyone hitting the road this summer.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says there were 61 motorcyclists killed and 1,103 injured in crashes last year alone. The top three contributing factors in those crashes were failing to yield, unsafe speeds and distracted driving.

“Riders should have a riding strategy and always be alert and ready for road hazards, distracted drivers and other dangers on the road,” Megan Leonard with the Department of Public Safety’s Motorcycle Safety Center said.

Jed Duncan of Rider Academy in St. Paul says it’s pertinent that motorcyclists to stay focused, because there is so much less between them and the road.

“You better be awake the whole time because you know half the drivers out there are doing something else,” Jed Duncan of Rider Academy said. “I’ve seen people eating; I’ve seen people reading a book on the steering wheel. You definitely see people texting,”

Fox 9 followed Duncan for two hours during rush hour traffic Wednesday. We witnessed one tailgater and dozens of people texting while driving—many more talking on their phone.

“It’s pretty hard for me to do anything but ride the motorcycle and I think that’s what the problem is with driving is it’s too easy until you need both hands on the wheel and then it’s too late.”

Duncan suggests practicing before heading out for the season. He says practicing stopping is something you can do on your own.

“Even if you don’t get it stopped, if you can get it slowed down, it’s going to hurt a lot less,” Duncan said. “You need to come to a nice big parking lot like this—with the permission of the owners—and get up to the speeds you’ll be facing on the road and you need to get the bike stopped.”

DASHCAM VIDEO - DASHCAM: Motorcycle hits unsecured load on I-94 in Woodbury, Minn.