Strategies to Promote Sharing the Road
with Motorcycles to All Employee-Motorists
Each spring, motorcycle enthusiasts in communities, cities, towns, campuses and businesses across the country welcome warm weather with a renewed commitment to riding. The high-profile celebration of motorcycle riding is a great way to focus attention for both riders and motorists on sharing the road safely.
Launch a Share the Road Safely with Motorcycles Program Around Timely Events
There are nationally observed events that you can build on or use to launch a motorcycle safety awareness program within your organization. These are opportune times to begin a workplace program that addresses the safety issues concerning both riders and motorists sharing the road with motorcycles.
Choose the events and activities that are suitable for your workforce. This will depend on the size of your organization and the resources available. Your organization’s involvement may range from putting up campaign posters announcing the safety observance to staging a major informational event with a series of lunch and learn interactive sessions on motorcycle awareness. You may simply bring in bagels for event participants. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is in May.
Each year, May is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. During this month, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), other motorcycle organizations, state highway safety offices, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) join together to conduct a variety of activities to promote the motorcycle safety. The campaign focuses attention on training programs for motorcyclists and asks that other motorists share the road safely with riders. NHTSA develops a Motorcycle Safety Awareness Planner for use during the month. The Planner includes fact sheets, messaging that can be used ‘as-is’ or tailored to educate your employees about the importance of sharing the road.
Materials Available:
Access the 2008 campaign planner at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/planners/ShareTheRoad2008/
Ride to Work Day (RTW) is July 16 in 2008.
The advocacy day is sponsored by Ride to Work, Inc., a non-profit advocacy organization, for the past 14 years. According to RTW, over eighty million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles are a regular part of this mix. On Ride to Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a much larger number of America’s 8,000,000 cycles are ridden to work.
Materials Available:
Access RTW day campaign materials at: www.ridetowork.org
Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) is October 6-10 in 2008.
DSWW is sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) each year during the first full week in October. The campaign in its 12th year, is observed by employers and organizations nationwide. The campaign helps employers promote safe driving practices within their place of business and keep the nation’s roadways safe. The 2008 campaign will focus on sharing the road with all road users.
Materials Available:
Access the DSWW campaign materials, available to download each year in July, via the NETS website at: www.trafficsafety.org
How to Use the National Safety Observances in Your Workplace
Put a Traffic Safety Planning Team Together
This may become an ongoing group effort that can continue year-round to plan and implement traffic safety and motorcycle safety awareness events and initiatives. The team can pull together fun and informative events that will be helpful to your employees and their families. Employers may also want to tap into or coordinate with other local employers to support these national awareness events.
Look for other opportunities throughout the year to “drive home” the motorcycle safety awareness message. Employees often “hit the roadways” for major holidays making these events an ideal time to remind everyone about safe driving practices, especially “share the road safely” messaging. These holidays include: New Years Day, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, spring vacations, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays.
Spread the Safety Message
Publicize the motorcycle safety awareness observances through: a company newsletter, payroll insert, email blasts, Intranet, posters, banners, bulletin boards, lobby displays, cafeteria kiosks or tables, parking garages signage, etc.
Create a customized flyer that describes the specific activities and events at your worksite. Don’t forget to toot your own horn and issue a press release publicizing your intentions. The media loves to cover community-oriented and environmentally–friendly business involvement.
Become Familiar with the Campaign Planners or Guides Available
The campaign materials/planners for the safety observances listed above provide many materials that can be used as is or modified to deliver the safety message to your workforce. In addition, other groups (employers, colleges, motorcycle advocacy groups, clubs, state highway safety offices, etc) have developed their own initiatives to address motorcycle safety awareness. By “googling” the safety observance or motorcycle safety awareness, you can locate additional materials and tools to adapt for your own use.
Consider Giveaways and Safety Incentives
Never underestimate the impact that T-shirts, books, CDs, videos, gift certificates, and other incentives have on an event. Work with the planning team to determine what incentives are appropriate and motivating for employees. Use every resource to drive home the safety message. Information and incentives can never replace individual responsibility.
Hold a Breakfast for Campaign Participants
A company breakfast encourages your employees to participate in the safety events and training and boosts morale. It’s also a good way to demonstrate corporate concern for your employees’ safety. Hold drawings for safety incentives.
Coordinate a Lunch and Learn Program
There are many knowledgeable riders who would be pleased to speak about sharing the road with motorcycles and offer advice and answer employees’ questions. There may be seasoned riders within your own organization or representatives from motorcycling organizations, from local motorcycle dealerships or gear shops that would be able to present a 30 minute program.
Materials Available:
The MSF offers several safety programs that can be taught by anyone -- especially motorcycle enthusiasts and others who are concerned with traffic safety.
The Intersection Module is MSF’s newest approach to enhancing motorist awareness of motorcycles. The program combines personal stories and character development with a dramatic new look at a crash scene that’s all too common. The DVD contains three separate 13-minute versions to appeal to teens (via driver education classes), adults (via traffic schools), and commercial drivers (via employee orientation). The module includes a Leader’s Guide, ten Participant’s Guides, and 25 Quick Tips brochures. Intersections can be ordered for $50.00 at: http://store.msf-usa.org/Store/MoreDetails.aspx?pid=20645.
Provide Safety Information on Motorcycle Safety Awareness to Your Employees
Materials Available:
NETS Motorists Share the Road with Motorcycles,
jpg version, pdf version
NETS Riders Share the Road Safely with Motorists,
jpg version, pdf version
(Files are large and may take time to download.)
Organize a Share the Road Safety Fair
Invite local motorcycle dealers, gear shops, advocacy groups, local motorcycle clubs, law enforcement motor patrol officers, state highway safety office staff, traffic reporters, EMS, etc. Distribute information about traffic safety and motorcycle safety awareness.
Partner With Motorcycle Safety Advocates
- American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)
Founded in 1924, the AMA has a history of pursuing, protecting and promoting the interests of the motorcycle enthusiasts. The AMA focuses on rights, riding and racing through its government relations work, by sanctioning road and off-road riding activities and overseeing professional and amateur racing events. The AMA's headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio, is also home to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. The AMA site lists motorcycle laws for each state.
Site: http://www.ama-cycle.org
- Discover Today's Motorcycling (DTM)
The MIC's Discover Today's Motorcycling program provides various services to the news media and also provides consumers with information on motorcycling. DTM is the resource on motorcycling for American news media, providing background, interviews, photography and fielding hundreds of inquiries each year.
Site: www.motorcycles.org
- Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC)
Minnesota has a one-stop shop for rider training information, public information and educational materials, testing and licensing information, and riding safety tips. The MMSC has information and resources of interest to those outside Minnesota. The site contains a state-by state list of rider education websites.
Site: www.motorcyclesafety.state.mn.us/latest/MMSCHome.asp?cid=2
- Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)
The MSF is a national, not-for-profit organization sponsored by U.S. manufacturers and distributors of BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio/Vespa, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha motorcycles. MSF has set internationally recognized standards of excellence in motorcycle rider education and training. The organization partners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), state governments, the military and other organizations to improve motorcyclist education, training and operator licensing and to make the nation's streets and highways safer for motorcyclists.
Site: http://www.msf-usa.org
- Motorcycle Industry Council, Inc (MIC)
MIC is a not-for-profit, national trade association created to promote and preserve motorcycling and the U.S. motorcycle industry. More than 300 members represent manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, parts and accessories, as well as allied trades such as publishing, insurance and consultants. Dealers, clubs and individuals are not eligible for membership. The council is involved in activities in government relations, statistics, communications, technical, and aftermarket programs. The MIC also provides data and other resources; such as test information, news updates, to non-members.
Site: http://www.mic.org
- National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSA)
The SMSA is dedicated to serving the needs and interests of state motorcycle safety administrators and programs by advocating motorcycle safety and fostering and promoting the exchange of ideas and resources. The association is comprised of individuals and organizations that coordinate the motorcycle safety programs at the state level joined by other professional organizations, corporations, instructors, and individuals. The SMSA fosters and promotes state-administered motorcycle safety programs and represents state concerns relating to motorcycle safety by working cooperatively with those individuals and organizations having an interest in motorcycle safety.
Site: http://www.smsa.org/
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
NHTSA is the arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) that is responsible for
establishing guidelines and regulations regarding transportation safety. To learn more about NHTSA’s motorcycle safety initiatives and resources, visit online.
Site: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem. d7975d55e8abbe089ca8e410dba046a0/
- Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS)
NETS is a national, nonprofit organization located in the Washington, DC metro area. It is a public/private partnership that engages employers of all sizes and industry-types in seeking, developing, and expanding best practices in traffic safety. It is the only organization dedicated exclusively to traffic safety in the workplace. NETS’ mission is to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries within the nation's workforce by developing safety policies, workplace informational and training programs, safety campaigns, and corporate community activities. The organization is known for its annual Drive Safely Work Week campaign to focus the nation's employers and the media on key traffic safety issues. For more information, visit NETS online.
Site: http://www.trafficsafety.org
RTW is a national, Minnesota-based 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that that annually sponsors Ride to Work Day on the 3rd Wednesday of July to promote motorcycles and scooters as an economical, efficient, and socially responsible form of mobility. Its annual RTW Day, (July 16 in 2008.) the United States' largest motorcycle event by number of participants, is designed to increase awareness of motorcyclists among other road users. The organization encourages motorcycle commuting by increasing awareness of motorcycling as a transportation alternative. For more information and to access free materials, visit RWD online.
Site: http://www.ridetowork.org
- State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO)
Each state has a comprehensive highway safety program that includes a motorcycle safety program that aims to reduce motorcycle crashes and related deaths and injuries. State motorcycle safety programs address the use of helmets (meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218) and other protective gear, proper licensing, impaired riding, rider training, conspicuity, and motorist awareness. Contact the SHSO in your state to determine materials and services available to your organization on motorcycle safety. Visit the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) website or a list of SHSO offices.
Site: http://www.ghsa.org/html/links/highwaysafetywebsites.html
