The rumble of motorcycle engines could be heard in Kingsville Sunday for the blessing of the bikes.

Some 400 steel stallions and more than 600 people rolled into the First Lutheran Church to have their wheels blessed for a safe riding season.

The blessing serves to promote a sense of fellowship among the riders and it’s also a signal to others to watch out for motorcycles on the roads.

“Everybody that rides knows somebody that passed and to me it's just a quick reminder of them, 'Hey they're not here with us today. They are with us when we're riding,'” says Donny Pacheco.

Joe Oswald says the blessing of the bikes means a lot different things to different people.

“But, it's also about rider awareness. We've got way too many casualties on the road and a lot of it is because riders just aren't seen.”

There have already been several crashes involving motorcycles this year, including a crash on April 8, which sent a 71-year-old rider to hospital in serious condition.

The driver of an SUV involved has been charged with careless driving causing bodily harm.

Distracted driving seems to be an increasing problem for motorcyclists to contend with on local roads.

The most recent Statistics Canada report shows 191 motorcyclists died in 2017, down only slightly from the year prior.

When a crash happens, the entire biking community takes notice.

“Right away everyone goes up on Facebook to puts a roll call to see if we know the person or any way we can help,” say Bob Menard.

“Whether you're riding by yourself or in a group, you're never alone, you're never alone. So, it's important for us to get that message out,” adds Oswald.