Government and Motorcycling

[gPink]

Motorcycle Deaths, Injuries Cost $16 Billion, Says Government Report
29 11 2012

The following statement is attributable to Barbara Harsha, Executive Director of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)

WASHINGTON, DC – November 27, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released its recent evaluation of federal and state efforts to address motorcycle safety. GHSA strongly supports the recommended changes, as these would lead to a more effective approach to this issue.

First, GAO suggests that Congress give states more flexibility in their use of federal highway safety funds to more broadly address the complex issue of motorcycle safety. Currently, states can spend these funds only on motorcyclist training and raising motorist awareness of motorcycles. States should be able to use their federal funds to support motorcycle advisory committees, development of motorcycle safety strategic plans, enforcement of helmet and other motorcycle safety laws, programs to prevent impaired motorcycling and speeding, licensing improvements, and programs to encourage voluntary helmet usage and greater rider conspicuity. GHSA supports a comprehensive approach to motorcycle safety, and we commend GAO for its recognition of the need for this strategy. We urge Congress to incorporate this change during the next transportation reauthorization.

Secondly, GAO recommends that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provide states with information that could better enable them to effectively reduce motorcyclist crashes and injuries. GAO encourages NHTSA to conduct research that will resolve outstanding gaps in state knowledge about approaches considered most promising. Specifically, GAO recommends that NHTSA research how to encourage motorcyclists to increase their conspicuity and the value of a graduated licensing model for motorcyclists. GHSA appreciates GAO’s acknowledgment that an increased focus on research is necessary for states to operate effective, data-driven programs. NHTSA is scheduled to release a plan to guide its motorcycle safety research efforts by the spring of 2013. GHSA looks forward to this research roadmap.

Highlights of the GAO report and the report itself are online at http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-42.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GHSAhq or follow us on Twitter @GHSAHQ.

SOURCE Governors Highway Safety Association

[VirginiaJim]

I think they should get all the cars and trucks off the road.  Our safety would then be improved significantly.

[gPink]

Good idea. I think what we are in for is more rules and regs that will do nothing to improve safety.

[Cholla]

Most of that money is spent on useless studies and more govt agencies.
And, there is no such thing as Federal money!
Once again they don't put any value on rider training.
Yet, they make pilots take training out the wazoo. Compare safety records between the two.

[gPink]

We'll see the rise of motorcycle profiling again. Bike only safety check points, EPA stamps on exhaust (I'm keeping the stocker) and other harassments as opposed to increased training. Helmets are more important to the Gov than training.

[Roadhound]

programs to prevent impaired motorcycling and speeding

The above is where 90% of the money will be spent.

[gPink]

I could get behind the 'impaired riding' part.

[Roadhound]

I could get behind the 'impaired riding' part.

I could get behind it if they went after All impaired riders and drivers, including those addicted to their cell phones.

[shreveportSS]

The only thing we will see is motorcycling getting more expensive and caps on engine size/power.

[Rhino]

If you think the problem is bad just wait until you see the government solution!

[Elfmaze]

The only thing we will see is motorcycling getting more expensive and caps on engine size/power.

I would actually love to see a tiered license system.  No reason a kid with no experience(or "adult" for that matter) should be able to buy a 100+ hp bike at 18yrs old.  Seen many friends die that way and not many bike survive.  can't base it on displacement or the cruisers would be screwed but I think a 100hp limit probationary license sounds fair.   

[Sgt Mac]

I would actually love to see a tiered license system.  No reason a kid with no experience(or "adult" for that matter) should be able to buy a 100+ hp bike at 18yrs old.  Seen many friends die that way and not many bike survive.  can't base it on displacement or the cruisers would be screwed but I think a 100hp limit probationary license sounds fair.   

Some states already use a tiered system, based on displacement. I don't think it does much, if a kid wants a big bike, he's going to get one, license or not. I agree, there is no reason an 18yo kid should be able to walk into a dealership and buy a liter bike, but even if you legislate that, how do you stop them from purchasing used. IMO, time, money and focus needs to be spent on training, not just the standard MSF training (I do think its good training, don't get me wrong) but advanced rider training.

http://utahsba.com/schools/

[gPink]

More:
    

MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE | Suite 204 | Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice) | 202-546-0986 (fax) | http://www.mrf.org

12NR33 - MRF News Release - Inaccurate Study on Motorcycle Safety Praised by Governors Highway Safety Association.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 December 2012

Contact: Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Ralations and Public Affairs

Breaking News!

Inaccurate Study on Motorcycle Safety Praised by Governors Highway Safety Association.

Recently the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) praised the inaccurate study on motorcycle safety done by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

What both reports failed to tell you is that motorcyclists are safer now than since 1984. Here’s why; in 2010 fatalities were almost identical to 1984, around 4,500 motorcyclists a year. However, what they did not tell you is that in 1984 5.5 million motorcycles were registered in the USA. Compare that to the 7 million registered motorcycles in 2010. That’s 1.5 million more motorcycles and the same amount of fatalities.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics.

Both the GAO and the GHSA are pushing for what they believe is the silver bullet of motorcycle safety, the mandatory helmet law. Proper riding gear should be left to the rider, not the government. When you look at States like Tennessee and Arizona that have roughly the same size population and then break down fatality numbers it becomes clear that helmet laws do not have significant influence. Tennessee has a mandatory helmet law and 121 fatalities for 2010. Arizona has no mandatory helmet law and had 88 fatalities for the same period of time. Even right over the border from Tennessee their neighboring Kentucky, which also has no mandatory helmet law, had just 87 fatalities in 2010.

Another area where the Government agencies continue to overlook when dealing with motorcycle safety is rider education. If we cannot teach people to ride motorcycles we will have more and more fatalities.

Take New Hampshire for example. According to Robert LeTourneau, New Hampshire State Official Motorcycle Education Specialist they have had 15 fatal motorcycle accidents of riders who took the class since 1990. That’s out of over 44,000 students trained in the same time period and .034% of fatal motorcycle accidents. All with no mandatory helmet law.

While mandatory helmet laws look good on paper they rarely work in the real world. The best approach to motorcycle safety is and will always be rider education and awareness campaigns. Teaching people how to ride a motorcycle in the proper way and educating the general public to look for motorcycles, which can only benefit pedestrians and bicyclists as well, will avoid crashes and save lives.

[Sgt Mac]

While mandatory helmet laws look good on paper they rarely work in the real world. The best approach to motorcycle safety is and will always be rider education and awareness campaigns. Teaching people how to ride a motorcycle in the proper way and educating the general public to look for motorcycles, which can only benefit pedestrians and bicyclists as well, will avoid crashes and save lives.

Quoting the report....not the poster.

When all of this fails, as it will for someone at some point, no matter how much is done. What can the rider do to help increase survivability of an accident? Wear protective equipment.

I wonder if those so opposed to helmets refuse to wear a seat belt when in a car because they feel it is to restricting and may trap them in the car. Why are they not out fighting so hard against seat belt laws?

If you think you don't need a helmet.....you're probably right.

[Sgt Mac]

 ......and loud pipes save lives

[gPink]

Quoting the report....not the poster.

When all of this fails, as it will for someone at some point, no matter how much is done. What can the rider do to help increase survivability of an accident? Wear protective equipment.

I wonder if those so opposed to helmets refuse to wear a seat belt when in a car because they feel it is to restricting and may trap them in the car. Why are they not out fighting so hard against seat belt laws?

If you think you don't need a helmet.....you're probably right.

  Sarge, not to get in the pro/con helmet thing( I'm an always wear/pro choice guy), my reason for these info posts is to raise awareness of coming government intrusion into our sport(passion?). The mindset of the fed safety nazis has always been focused on helmet usage and nothing else. Rider training is an afterthought. Back in the late sixties when I started riding training was learning how to make it go and how to make it stop. I believe education is the number one safety tool.
  Unfortunatly, uninformed  bureaucrats and bean counters believe a mandatory federal helmet law is all that is needed to make us safe.

[Elfmaze]

 but advanced rider training.

http://utahsba.com/schools/

Indeed, In my world you would have a track based training before you could get your "high performance"  endorsement

Had to do it for Airplanes.  In order to fly anything with over 200hp and/or retractable gear you need to go back for your "complex" rating.  Its just politics to get it done.

[Sgt Mac]

  Sarge, not to get in the pro/con helmet thing( I'm an always wear/pro choice guy), my reason for these info posts is to raise awareness of coming government intrusion into our sport(passion?). The mindset of the fed safety nazis has always been focused on helmet usage and nothing else. Rider training is an afterthought. Back in the late sixties when I started riding training was learning how to make it go and how to make it stop. I believe education is the number one safety tool.
  Unfortunatly, uninformed  bureaucrats and bean counters believe a mandatory federal helmet law is all that is needed to make us safe.

Imagine if all the energy fighting mandatory helmet laws was put to use pushing for the advancement of rider training.

[turbojoe78]

Imagine if all the energy fighting mandatory helmet laws was put to use pushing for the advancement of rider training.

I agree, I think everyone should stop pushing for mandatory helmet laws and start pushing for more motorcycle training courses.   For both new and current riders.

[Elfmaze]

And as much as that figure 8 is a PITA to do I'm starting to think,  insurance wise,  you should be able to do it ON YOUR BIKE.  not the scooter you borrowed for the test.