Sacramento Bee: CHP reports decline in motorcycle-involved collisions, injuries:

The California Highway Patrol reports that a two-year, federally funded program to increase motorists’ awareness of motorcyclists on California roadways appears to have paid off with a decline in the number of collisions involving motorcycles.

Preliminary figures for 2010 from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records system show that the number of people killed in motorcycle-involved collisions last year was down 9 percent from the previous year, according to a CHP news release. The number of people injured in motorcycle-involved collisions appears to be down 8.5 percent.

Throughout the campaign, the CHP has emphasized the “Share the Road” message. To help convey that message to the motoring public, officials said, the CHP held several presentations and conducted several highly publicized motorcycle safety enforcement operations.

The CHP, in conjunction with the California Department of Transportation, arranged to display “Share the road – Look twice for motorcyclists” on changeable message signs on highways statewide on several occasions throughout the term of the grant.

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic safety Administration.

How has California approached the initiative? By modifying the driver handbook, as well as this YouTube video:

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has also applauded Calfiornia for this effort.

Season of the Bike

http://www.seanfrancisfoundation.com…me/spot320.mov

Riding a motorcycle the past few years has been a lot of fun, and improved my driving skills as well… I’m much more aware of what is going on around me.