AKRON — More than 800 motorcyclists died in accidents on Ohio’s roadways from 2015 to 2019, and one woman is working to educate riders and drivers alike on how to avoid more tragedy.


What You Need To Know

  • Be alert, look twice for motorcycles
  • Hundreds of bikes are moving out of storage this month

  • 160 motorcyclist deaths in 2019

From working at a bank to working on motorcycles, Cathy Gustafson created a career out of adventure.

“The freedom of it, the wind in your face, it’s a great feeling,” she said.

This month hundreds of bikes are moving out of storage at Rubber City Harley Davidson and will soon hit the open road.

“This is the time that we need to start being more aware of what’s going on,” she said.

Gustafson has been working for Harley Davidson since before women really had an “in.”

“I was there when there weren’t a lot of women in it and I got to see it grow,” she said/ “It’s more of a normal thing now, we expect the women to be here.”

Now, she teaches hundreds of women and men each year on how to have fun and stay safe on the roads.

“Right now, our classes are full to the end of June.”

While she teaches crucial safety measures to her new riders . . .  she said those in cars and trucks need to educate themselves too.

“When the weather breaks it's the time to look for motorcycles,” she said.

In 2019, 160 motorcyclists were killed in Ohio and Gustafson said this is the best safety tip to prevent tragedy: “You look again, look once and look one more time before you go.”

A necessary act that could save lives and keep fellow adventurers like Gustafson on the road.

She said if anyone wants to learn to ride, “call me and what we would do is just invite you into the store and meet you so you have someone at the store that you know because it can be intimidating.”