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This PSA brought to you by the AMA and Nationwide |
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Posted by Staff
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Thursday, 04 October 2007 |
See the PSA here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPGazsBjxF4
5 Questions with Ed Moreland, AMA Vice President for Government Relations
1) "Distracted Drivers" is the focus of the latest public service announcement from The
American Motorcyclist Association and Nationwide Insurance. Why that topic?
EM: As you know, Nationwide’s recent “Life on the Go” survey
found that roads are full of distracted motorists, with 73 percent of survey
respondents admitting they use their cell phone while driving. And, one in five
admits to texting while driving. Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are
all vulnerable to distracted drivers.
More and more evidence is
pointing to distracted drivers as the cause of motorcycle crashes involving
another vehicle. For many years we have known that nearly 70% of crashes
involving a motorcycle and another vehicle were caused by the driver of the
other vehicle. We wanted to take this opportunity to remind drivers to put down
their phones, lattes, newspapers and make-up, and pay more attention to the
road.
2) With gas prices reaching new highs, more people are
purchasing motorcycles and scooters. What advice do you have for new riders?
EM: First, take a motorcycle training safety course. Even if
you’ve been riding for years, you’ll find new skills in a safety course. The
Motorcycle Safety Foundation and other organizations offer courses in every state. Plus, some
companies, like Nationwide, will give you a discount on your insurance for
completing a safety course.
Second, consider your first bike purchase
carefully. A smaller, less expensive bike may be the best choice for those new
to motorcycling. The AMA website, www.ama-cycle.org, has tools for first time
riders choosing a bike.
Finally, make sure you have the right gear.
Carefully selecting your gloves, boots, jacket, helmet and pants will lengthen
your riding season and help keep you safe.
3) While participation in motorcycling is increasing,
there are also more RVs, campers and boat trailers on the road. What tips would
you offer to other drivers sharing lane space with motorcyclists?
EM: Here are two important ones. First, don’t simply rely
on the rearview and side mirrors to spot check who is sharing the road with you.
The bigger the vehicle, the larger the blind spot – and it is especially easy
for motorcycles to visually disappear within the blind spots on SUVs and
recreational vehicles. Always use your signal and physically turn your head to
check your line of sight before merging.
Second, make sure any items
you’re storing on or outside your vehicle are securely stowed and tied down.
Losing even a cushion from a piece of furniture that you’re towing can be
disastrous to a motorcyclist following your vehicle. It’s especially critical
for drivers towing a trailer of any kind to secure all items and check for
necessary adjustments at every stop.
4) I have seen a number of stories
lately about the rise in motorcyclist fatalities. What is causing this increase
and what can be done to change the pattern?
EM: That is a
very good question and one that requires a fairly in-depth answer. Part of the
reason that motorcyclist fatalities are up is simply due to the fact that there
are far more motorcyclists on the road than ever before. Indeed, motorcycle
sales have been very strong over the past decade. According to the Motorcycle
Industry Council, sales increased 34% between 1998 and 2003.
A couple
of other contributing factors have been the proliferation of larger vehicles on
the road such as SUVs, and the ever-expanding
use of cell phones and other driver distractions.
Through a grant from
the US government and contributions of the motorcycle community, a comprehensive
crash causation study is going to be conducted this fall by Oklahoma State
University. The last major study into the causes of motorcycle crashes was
completed in 1980. When the new study is completed, we will be better equipped
to understand how to prevent crashes through truly effective countermeasures,
and ultimately reduce the number of motorcyclist fatalities on our nation’s
roadways.
5) How can the motorcycling community and the
public support the new motorcycle crash study?
EM:
The government has agreed to match money raised by the motorcycle community to
complete the study. So far, through significant contributions from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the Motorcycle
Industry Council, the AMA and individual riders, the community has been able to
make available over $3 million.
Additionally, AMA has established a web
site to allow other riders to contribute to the effort through our “Fuel the
Fund” program which seeks to raise money for the study - one tank’s worth of gas
at a time. So far, individual riders have given over $20,000.If riders are
interested in joining the effort to fuel the fund, they can find more
information and a pledge form at www.amadirectlink.com/study/.
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