Dear Rebel Angel,
What I am writing to you now for is for your help in getting the message out specifically to reach bikers nationally to help seize the offensive in Wisconsin this month, where Governor Jim Doyle has declared May "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month." What follows is an article reporting the announcement, and then my letter to Governor Doyle. We think that it would be wonderful if all bikers would send e-mails to Governor Doyle congratulating him on his support for bikers, and urging him now, this month, to take the practical steps required to educate Wisconsin bikers about motorcycle safety issues and motorcycle accident avoidance strategies which they must use for the protection of bikers. From the perspective of Motorcyclists-Against-Dumb-Drivers, as we set forth in our letter to Governor Doyle, the only practical way to reduce the incidence of motorcycle accidents, and motorcyclist injury and death is mandatory auto driver education on motorcycle safety issues beginning with the state booklets provided to auto drivers, comprehensive motorcycle safety questions on the written tests which auto drivers must take to obtain and renew their auto drivers licenses, and then a state policy to deny driving privileges to any auto driver who fails to answer correctly all motorcycle safety questions on the written test.
Your may read more about the issue at:
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May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
Motorists and motorcyclists need to share the road safely
May 1, 2006
Governor Jim Doyle has designated May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Wisconsin. In his proclamation, the Governor states, "motorcyclists have the right by law to safe enjoyment of their vehicles, including the full and equal use of the roadway without encroachment by other vehicles whether it be on city streets or rural and urban highways."
Motorcycles continue to increase in popularity both for recreation and for basic transportation, especially with high gasoline prices. More than 441,000 Wisconsin residents have motorcycle licenses or permits, and nearly 250,000 motorcycles are registered in the state.
"As motorcycle popularity grows, other motorists need to share the road and watch for motorcycles in traffic, especially at intersections and while making turns or lane changes," said State Patrol Major Dan Lonsdorf, director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety. "On the other hand, motorcyclists must obey all traffic laws, such as speed limits. They also must never ride while impaired by alcohol or drugs."
Efforts to improve motorcycle safety in Wisconsin are needed to prevent serious injuries and save lives. In 2003, a total of 100 motorcyclists, including passengers, died in traffic crashes. In 2004, 80 motorcyclists died, which was a 20 percent decrease. Preliminary statistics indicate that 92 motorcyclists died in 2005.
"Education and training continue to be our most important tools for improving motorcycle safety," says Ron Thompson, manager of the Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program. "Riding a motorcycle is vastly different than driving a car or truck, and it's important riders realize this. The best way to handle the challenges of motorcycle riding is to complete a motorcycle safety course. The demand for these courses is high, but they are well worth the wait. We hope to train more riders than ever this year."
For more information contact:
Major Dan Lonsdorf, Bureau of Transportation Safety director, (608) 266-3048
Ron Thompson, Motorcycle Program manager, (608) 266-7855
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Motorcyclists-Against-Dumb-Drivers' Letter to Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle
Urging Auto Driver Education on Motorcycle Safety Issues
Dear Governor Doyle:
I represent "Motorcyclists Against Dumb Drivers" and we applaud you for declaring May "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month"!
Given your declaration of this month as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, now you have the opportunity this month to take what would be practically the most effective concrete action for the protection of motorcyclists on your streets and highways.
The fact is that the vast majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents, more than 2/3 of such accidents, are caused solely by inattentiveness of the auto driver, without any fault on the part of the motorcyclist. This fact and the specific root causes of auto driver negligence have been identified in a number of studies beginning with the landmark University of Southern California study by Harry Hurt, funded by the National Highway Safety
Administration.
The majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents involve auto drivers pulling out from side streets into the path and right of way of the motorcyclist or auto drivers turning left from the opposite direction in front of the motorcyclist. We were very impressed by the recognition of this fact by State Patrol Major Dan Lonsdorf when he stated: "As motorcycle popularity grows, other motorists need to share the road and watch for motorcycles in traffic, especially at intersections and while making turns or lane changes."
Very commonly the auto driver will state that he didn't "see" the motorcycle, and so your emphasis on "watching" for motorcycles when entering intersections or turning left at intersections is so very important. Auto drivers also fail to appreciate that it is more difficult to gauge the speed of a motorcycle approaching them, and that they need to take the time to carefully gauge the motorcycle's speed before entering an intersection. Providing auto drivers a specific task to employ specific to motorcycles, such as focusing upon their approaching speed, also contributes to overcome the phenomenon of "inattentional blindness" which is the accurate reason why auto drivers don't "see" motorcycles.
Auto drivers also fail to understand that their rear view mirrors have holes in them large enough to obscure a motorcycle, and that to avoid motorcycle accidents they must turn their heads to look into their blind spots before changing lanes.
Auto drivers also fail to understand that motorcycles generally stop more quickly than do cars and so they must leave a greater number of car lengths between the vehicles when following a motorcycle.
It is plain that the major contributor to motorcycle accidents is that auto drivers fail to understand motorcycle safety issues, and have not been educated on motorcycle accident avoidance strategies.
The answer, as you and your staff have hit it on the head, is education. We would urge you to consider is that the state has it within its power to effectively mandate motorcycle safety education simply by providing comprehensive motorcycle safety information in the auto driver license preparation booklets, and then by including questions on motorcycle safety and motorcycle accident avoidance strategies in the written tests which auto drivers must pass to obtain and renew their drivers licenses. This is such an important issue that we would urge that drivers be denied licenses to operate automobiles if they fail to demonstrate competent knowledge of motorcycle safety issues by answering all motorcycle safety and motorcycle accident avoidance strategy questions correctly.
The state politicians who support this effort to make our streets safer for motorcyclists will win the hearts and votes of all motorcyclists because this is a real concern for all of us. It is also the right thing to do. Motorcycle safety is a public health concern. Motorcycle accidents are much more likely to result in serious injury than auto accidents. Furthermore, it is a state fiscal concern because too often the auto driver who causes the accident will be woefully uninsured to pay for the motorcyclists immediate and long term medical expense and care. When this happens the cost of the medical expense is borne by the state.
It would cost little to update the auto driver education booklets and add the additional questions to the tests. Little indeed compared to the cost of the lives which could be saved. The cost of updating the booklets and tests would be paid for many times over by the savings the state would achieve by avoiding the cost of medical care and lifetime nursing care for even one seriously injured motorcyclist saved by the education.
We congratulate you on making May "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month" and hope that every day of every month will be a day when Wisconsin auto drivers will consciously apply motorcycle accident avoidance strategies for the protection of their two wheeled brethren. Please consider providing your state's auto drivers the specific strategies for avoiding motorcycle accidents, including by mandatory auto driver education on motorcycle safety issues.
Very truly yours.
Raymond L. Henke
