TTI is working with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on a new statewide motorcycle safety campaign set to kick off in September. The campaign seeks to promote motorcycle safety in several important ways.
“We hope to increase motorists’ awareness of the growing presence of motorcycles and motorcyclists in traffic, improve riders’ awareness about the dangers of riding impaired by alcohol or drugs, and encourage new and returning riders to get properly trained,” says Associate Research Scientist Patricia Turner of TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety. “The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes and resulting injuries and deaths on Texas roads,” says Turner.
May is designated Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month. DPS Motorcycle Safety Unit Coordinator Cliff Burdette says many people return to riding a motorcycle when their kids are grown. Others ride because, with rising gas prices, motorcycles are more economical than larger vehicles. “Rider education and training are the best defenses against motorcycle crashes and injuries if a crash does occurs,” says Burdette.
The campaign will include the development of a new logo, safety messages, website, and promotional materials urging riders to attend DPS’s safety program, The Course for Motorcycle Riders. The material is also designed to educate the public about safely sharing the road with motorcyclists.