BLOOMINGTON - A flood of motorbikes among the traffic mix means increased odds for accidents.

"This time of year we just to like to remind everyone to be conscientious that motorcycles and scooters are out there," said Dave White, spokesman for the Bloomington Police Department.

Every driver, be it for two wheels or four wheels, has responsibilities in keeping the roads safe, said White.

State transportation department banners throughout the state, and in the Twin Cities, read "Start seeing motorcycles." And with more scooters - often smaller than standard motorcycles - line-of-sight challenges increase for car drivers, said White.

"They may be street legal, but often they are lower riding and harder to see," especially around trucks or sport utility vehicles, said White.

Scooter rider Ryan Wilson, 21 of Bloomington, wishes fewer drivers would tailgate cyclists. "It feels a lot more vulnerable sitting on the bike to have a car so close," he said.

With scooters becoming all the rage, dealerships report a surge in first-time riders purchasing the vehicles.

"That means motorists should be wary of those inexperienced riders," said White, noting those riders are adapting to handling reaction times, curves and wet pavement.

As for the riders' responsibility, White agrees with Erik Hanks of IDOT's motorcycle rider training program at Illinois State University.

"Scooter riders should take the motorcycle training class," said Hanks, the ISU coordinator. "The handling characteristics are the same, both have to learn how to lean, how to look for traffic," he said.

Hanks manages 100 instructors in a 30-county area. And the growth in ISU-led classes demonstrates the growing popularity of cycles. This year, ISU's center will lead 360 sessions, more than double the 150 offered in 2006, he said.

"I think with gas prices in particular, we'll see more people on motorcycles and scooters. This is a trend you're going to see for years to come," said Hanks.

In Illinois, eye protective gear is required by law. But helmets are not, though White and Hanks recommend the head protection.

"Just imagine yourself going 30 mph and flying off the scooter. Now imagine your head on the pavement at 30 mph," said White.

State data shows that while Illinois' number of traffic fatalities in 2007 was down slightly from the previous year, motorcycle/scooter fatalities rose by nearly 20 percent - from 132 deaths in 2006 to 157 in 2007. Of those fatalities, more than 80 percent were not wearing helmets.

Some people have given a hard time to scooter rider Sherrilyn Billger for wearing a helmet.

"They'll say, 'You're wearing a helmet, on a moped?' " recounted Billger.

But scooters technically are motorcycles, and have the power that goes along with such engines.

The ISU economics professor is glad a wider demographic is embracing the fuel-efficient option of scooter transportation. But she hopes as people become more familiar, they'll respect the power of the scooters.