Motorcycle Safety and Traffic Laws

Motorcycling has become extremely popular across the country. Sales of motorcycles are at an all time high. Partly due to the price of gas, there is still that aura about being out on the highway on a motorcycle and the freedom and exhilaration it brings.

Because of its increased popularity, there are larger numbers of new motorcycle riders and even larger numbers of automobile drivers who do not understand how to mix in traffic. This lack of knowledge on how to share the roadway has resulted in an increase in motorcycle-related accidents. The key to safety is understanding and learning how to share the roadway.

Before you take to the road, you should know the laws of your state governing motorcycles and the common sense safety rules.

Education and Training Programs

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2003, there were 47 State-legislated rider education programs in the United States. Only Alaska, Arkansas, Mississippi, and the District of Columbia do not have state-sponsored rider training programs. Each program is administered differently. In some instances, the state administers the program through a government entity. In other cases, the state contracts the program to a private provider which delivers the rider training. The curriculum most commonly used for beginning riders is the Basic Rider Course, which was developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF).

License

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require that drivers of motorcycles who use public highways have a valid license. The license may be an endorsement on an existing driver license or a special "motorcycle only" license. In order to obtain the license, the operator must pass a written test. States vary in their procedures for licensing motorcyclists so it is important for you to know what is required in your state before setting out on the open road on your bike.

NHTSA highly recommends that states adopt a graduated licensing scheme because it makes novice operators successfully demonstrate proficiency at several intermediate steps before they are granted full riding privileges.

Equipment

The motorcycle itself provides no protection to the operator in a collision. Therefore the rider must take personal responsibility for safety not only by having the proper training and licensing but through the use of protective gear.

The most effective piece of safety equipment for a motorcyclist is the helmet. The use of a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218 compliant helmet has been shown to be effective in preventing fatal injuries to riders who wear them.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia require helmet use by all motorcycle operators and their passengers. Another 27 states require only those under a certain age, usually 18, to wear a helmet. Colorado, Illinois, and Iowa have no laws requiring the use of a helmet.

Eye protection is mandatory in about 31 states, 23 states require the use of daylight headlights, and only 20 states mandate the use of turn signals on motorcycles. Because the law varies from state to state it is important that you are aware of the requirements of your state or a state that you intend to use your motorcycle in.

On the Road

"Lane sharing", that is the use of a single lane on a public highway by two motorcycles, is permitted in all but 12 states and the District of Columbia. Only in California is "lane splitting" legal where motorcycles can drive between cars but not on the shoulders.

Parking

A motorcycle is entitled to the same rights to parking as any other motor vehicle. Just because a motorcyclists parks between cars sometimes does not mean that they give up the right to take up a whole parking space if they choose to.

Related Links