Motorcyclists'
voices heard at global motorcycle safety forum
PICKERINGTON,
Ohio--Create better motorcycle safety training, teach car
drivers to watch for motorcycles, and promote responsible
riding. These are among the recommendations embraced by the
International Transport Forum of the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development at its June 10-11
workshop in Lillehammer, Norway, the American Motorcyclist
Association (AMA) reports.
The International Transport Forum, comprised of high-level
officials in the transportation, logistics and mobility
arenas in their countries, held the workshop to focus on
motorcycle safety. Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for
government relations, Kirk Willard, president of the
Motorcycle Riders Foundation, John Chatterton-Ross,
Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme director of
European Union public affairs, and Hans Petter Strifeldt,
president of the European Federation of Motorcyclists'
Associations, were among those representing the interests of
riders.
Others taking part from the United States included
representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, the Federal Highway Administration and the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety--a powerful
Washington, D.C.-based group of insurance companies that
recently suggested banning or capping the speeds of
"sport" and "supersport" motorcycles.
"High-level transportation officials from around the
world attended this conference to discuss motorcycling and
motorcycle safety, so it was critical that motorcyclists
made their voices heard," Moreland said. "Based on
many of the recommendations, I feel we succeeded."
One recommendation is to create a tiered approach to
motorcycle safety training that builds on existing
standards, focuses on risk awareness and risk avoidance and
understands the limits of riders and their motorcycles.
Another calls for the general training of all drivers to
watch for motorcycles and to share the road. A third
suggests that the motorcycle industry promote and market
responsible motorcycling. Riders are asked to be responsible
as well.
The workshop attendees encouraged training for road
planners, as well as highway and traffic engineers, so that
motorcyclists are considered in their designs. Other
recommendations include better braking systems for
motorcycles, formal safety meetings between motorcyclists,
government policy makers and other interested parties, and
more safety messages geared for motorcyclists.
"Quite often these types of meetings occur in the
vacuum of academia, devoid of the opinions and perspective
of the people most impacted by the topics discussed,"
said Moreland. "This meeting was particularly
significant because the real-world perspective of riders was
given equal weight and our input was recognized on a global
stage."
About the American Motorcyclist
Association
Since 1924, the AMA has promoted and
protected the motorcycling lifestyle. AMA members come
from all walks of life and they navigate many different
roads on their journey to the same destination: freedom on
two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycle organization
with nearly 300,000 members, the AMA advocates for
motorcyclists' interests in the halls of local, state and
federal government, the committees of international
governing organizations and the court of public opinion.
Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA
sanctions more motorsports competition events than any
other organization in the world. Through the
Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the
heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more
information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.