American Motorcyclist Association Releases New Distracted Driving PSA
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) October 5, 2007 --
"Distracted driving" is a hazard to everyone on the road, as you can see
in the latest Public Service Announcement from Nationwide Insurance and
the American Motorcyclist Association (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPGazsBjxF4).
In the following interview, Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for
government relations, discusses the dangers associated with distracted
driving, how we can all share the road safely and what the AMA is doing
to reduce the number of motorcyclist fatalities on our nation’s
roadways.
1.) "Distracted Drivers" is the focus of a new 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 offers 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 or hauling 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 of 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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