Massachusetts Motorcycle Safety Courses

The number of motorcycle fatalities in Massachusetts and throughout the United States is cause for great concern. While fatalities for all other categories of accidents have declined over the past decade, the GHSA reports that motorcycle deaths have increased for 14 of the last 15 years. The nine percent increase from 2011 to 2012 was one of the worst on record and exceeded predictions from federal authorities on how much the death toll would rise over the course of the year.

Our Fall River, MA accident attorneys urge drivers to seriously consider the problem of motorcycle rider safety during the month of May, which is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Drivers can start their efforts to improve safety by taking a look at the NHTSA reminder about sharing the road safely, but should go much further than just reading troubling stats and safety tips. Drivers and motorcyclists need to put what they learn through Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month into practice to make safe choices on the roads and avoid accidents.

Improving Motorcycle Safety in Massachusetts

Motorcycle riders are in serious danger of being killed by a motorcycle crash, with motorcyclists 30 times more likely on a per vehicle mile basis to die in a car accident than those in passenger vehicles. Something needs to be done about the risks, and some Massachusetts residents told the Taunton Gazette that a mandatory motorcycle safety course might be the answer. There are many proponents of this solution who argue that a safety course could help reduce the number of motorcycle-related deaths in the state.

While such a mandatory class might be one way to help to reduce accidents, the Massachusetts Rider Education Program for motorcyclists called “Training Wheels” is currently required only for motorcycle riders ages 18 or under or for riders who have failed the motorcycle road test twice. Further, a safety course for motorcyclists may not be the best answer because motorcycle riders are often not the ones behaving unsafely or driving in a risky way.