NHTSA and NESC: Get Up to Speed on Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles) partnered with the Nebraska Safety Council (NESC, nesafetycouncil.org/index.php/driving/motorcycle-training) to remind all motorists to “Get Up to Speed on Motorcycles” during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. NHTSA has designed this campaign to help motorists understand standard motorcycle driving behaviors and learn how to drive safely around motorcycles on our roadways. The campaign brings drivers up to speed by highlighting simple things drivers can do to increase the safety of their two-wheeled friends who have very little protection in the event of a crash.
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month coincides with the early summer months, as motorcyclists begin to ride more frequently. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are significantly overrepresented in traffic crashes and fatalities each year. In fact, per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 29 times more likely than passenger-vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and are four times more likely to be injured. It is essential that vehicle drivers pay complete attention on the roads because even the smallest momentary lapse in a vehicle driver’s awareness can result in the death of an unseen motorcyclist.
The Nebraska Safety Council offers a three-day motorcycle training course to give motorcyclists the classroom education and skills practice on an outdoor motorcycle range to prepare them for the road. Upon completion of this course, the rider will receive the “M” endorsement on their driver’s license. Courses are available for registration June-September, so sign up today! For more information on motorcycle safety, visit www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles. To register for the NESC Basic Motorcycle Training Course, visit nesafetycouncil.org/index.php/driving/motorcycle-training.