Posted October 31, 2006   Email   Print

Transportation Secretary stresses safety in visit to Harley-Davidson

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters put the national spotlight on motorcycling safety recently when she visited the Harley-Davidson Motor Company in Milwaukee, talking about safety programs. Those programs are supported by the AMA.

Peters, a longtime motorcyclist, toured the Harley facility and met with workers on October 26 in her first public appearance since being sworn in as transportation secretary. She was accompanied by Nicole Nason, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is a part of the U.S. Transportation Department.

Saying more must be done to improve motorcycle safety, Peters noted her department is working with the transportation community, including state and local governments, to find ways to make U.S. roads as safe as possible.

Plus, her department has awarded millions of dollars in grants to the states for such things as rider training, anti-drunk riding campaigns, and motorcycle-awareness programs for drivers. Those are all safety initiatives endorsed by the AMA.

Motorcyclists need to be sure they are licensed, ride sober, and ride safely, Peters said, and drivers of other vehicles need to do a better job of watching for motorcyclists. She praised companies like Harley-Davidson for their leadership in motorcycle safety and education, as well as their efforts to make sure bikes are properly maintained.

A major initiative of the Transportation Department is a new motorcycle crash study. Last year, the AMA was instrumental in securing funding as part of the $286.4 billion federal transportation bill for the first nationwide motorcycle-crash study in more than 25 years. That study will be conducted by Oklahoma State University's Oklahoma Transportation Center.

The AMA also worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to produce the award-winning "Ride Straight" program that urges motorcyclists not to drink and ride, and has produced a new series of television and radio public service announcements to get car drivers to watch for motorcyclists.

 © 2006, American Motorcyclist Association