Motorcycle Safety Presentation
Representatives from American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) gave a presentation to students in Jane Townsend’s driver education classes at SUNY BROOME's this summer on what all drivers should know about motorcycles. He also visited many other summer driver ed programs in Central New York. Thanks Bruce and Sandy for your time, effort and message. Bruce LePorte's mission - helping to bring down motorcycle crashes involving teen drivers. He explained that visiting every driver education classroom in the surrounding counties, as well as participation in local teen driver safety events is his effort to help reduce the number of motorcycle crashes involving teens. This year's goal - 39.2 percent. |
His booming voice captured students attention. “Pay attention, pay attention, share the road and look twice,” were warnings he emphasized to the students. His use of "Quizlet", a gaming technique that gets everyone in the class involved challenged students to have insight on what they know and don't know about sharing the road.
He also talked about how the left turn is the most dangerous maneuver anyone will make in their vehicle and explained that half of all fatalities with motorcycles occur when a vehicle turns left into the path of a motorcycle. ABATE signs are posted around the county that state “Look Twice – Save a Life” to illustrate that drivers should look left, look right and then look left again before entering the roadway. Bruce emphasizes that a motorcycle is not as visible, based on their size, as other vehicles on the roadway, so an extra look can help a driver to check for one which may be approaching. LePorte also talked about the differences between driving a motorcycle and another larger vehicle such as a car or truck and how hazards in the roadway can easily be absorbed by a large vehicle, |
He emphasized how something in the road that a car driver ignores could spell disaster to a motorcycle. Things such as debris, pot holes, the blast of wind that occurs when a vehicle is passed by a tractor-trailer going in the other direction and other hazards were discussed in the class. In addition, LePorte talked about the rights and responsibilities of sharing the road with motorcycles and laws which drivers need to be aware of. At the close of the class time, LePorte shared that in the time he had been speaking to the classroom, two people have died in the United States in a motorcycle crash. Statistics show that one person dies every 45 minutes. LePorte’s presentation also included videos where drivers pulled into the path of motorcycles who could not avoid impact with them and others where drivers did not allow adequate distance between vehicles and accidents occurred as a result. It was a worthwhile driver ed topic and relevant during the summer session. For more information about ABATE of New York, Inc., call 1-888-344-4400. |