STATEWIDE -- With summer just around the corner, New York's Department of Motor Vehicles is cautioning drivers to watch out for motorcyclists on the road.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month kicks off Wednesday to help increase awareness about motorcycle safety. There are more than 650,000 licensed motorcyclists in New York State many of which are already on the roads this year.

Officials said motorcyclists are about 39 times more likely than passengers in a car to die in traffic crashes. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New York had 188 motorcycle fatalities in 2010.