Whether someone is new to riding or has years of experience, ADOT encourages all riders to take a certified safety training course.

By attending an approved rider training course, motorcyclists of all skill levels not only have the chance to obtain professional instruction to become safer riders, they are also able to acquire their motorcycle endorsement easily and conveniently.

As you can see in the video above, there are other advantages that include potential insurance discounts and scholarship opportunities.

More information from the Motorcycle Training Foundation can be found online. You’ll also find the Motorcycle Operator Manual, along with a list of authorized motorcycle training providers on ADOT’s website. If you want to read more about motorcycle safety, check out some of our previous posts.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month, a time when all motorists are reminded of how important it is to safely share the road.

It’s also a great opportunity for us to share today’s video…

As you can see, the focus is on the value of enrolling in a professional motorcycle rider training course.

By attending an approved rider training course, motorcyclists of all skill levels not only have the chance to obtain professional instruction to become a safer rider, they are also able to acquire their motorcycle endorsement easily and conveniently.

“One of the advantages of taking a driving training course for motorcycles is you take the driving test and you go through all the different maneuvers you would at MVD,” says Juanita Cason in the video above. “You also take the written test that you would do at MVD, only by taking it in class then you get a piece of paper once you pass and you just take that piece of paper down to MVD and they actually give you your driver license endorsement”

More information from the Motorcycle Training Foundation can be found online. You’ll also find the Motorcycle Operator Manual, along with a list of authorized motorcycle training providers on ADOT’s website. We also invite you to revisit some of our previous motorcycle safety blog posts.

By Jennifer Toth
ADOT Deputy Director of Transportation

May 2014 is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and this topic is more important than ever.

Fatal and serious-injury crashes involving motorcycles are on the rise. In 2012 there were more than 4,950 fatal motorcycle crashes on our nation’s roads and highways, accounting for 15 percent of total fatal crashes in the United States, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

All drivers need to "Share the Road" with motorcycles.

Arizona is mirroring this troubling trend. As the chart at left illustrates, numbers for fatal and serious-injury motorcycle crashes have remained steady or increased during the past eight years, except for calendar years 2009 and 2010 when Arizona and states across the nation experienced overall decreases in annual “vehicle miles traveled” (VMT).

Reversing this trend – and protecting and saving lives – requires a combination of safe riding practices by motorcycles and a commitment by all drivers to “Share the Road.”

For All Road Users

• Remember: A motorcyclist has the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other motorist on the roadway.
• Give a motorcyclist a full lane width to maneuver safely.
• Always look for motorcycles by checking your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes. Motorcycles are smaller and more difficult to see, so keep an eye out.
• Allow more distance – three or four seconds – when following a motorcycle. This gives the motorcycle rider more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

For Motorcyclists

• Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed.
• Wear a helmet and use reflective tape and gear to be more visible. NHTSA estimates helmets saved the lives of 1,617 motorcyclists in 2011.
• Never ride while impaired or distracted—it is not worth the risk of killing or injuring yourself or someone else.

For extensive motorcycle safety information, visit the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety website.

ADOT’s yearly Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report shows that 823 people lost their lives in crashes on state and local roadways in Arizona in 2012.

It’s a very slight decrease from the previous year’s number, however the report also reveals that motorcycle-related fatalities actually increased by more than 5 percent from 2011 (139 in 2012 compared to 132 in 2011).

Hopefully these statistics can serve as a reminder to all of us on the importance of safe driving.

Here are some more figures from ADOT's 2012 Arizona Crash Facts report:

• There were 103,176 total crashes recorded in 2012 (down 0.58 percent compared to 103,774 crashes in 2011)
• One person was killed in a motor vehicle-related crash every 10.65 hours
• Crashes with injuries accounted for 32 percent of all crashes, while 67 percent of all crashes were listed as “property damage only”
• Pedestrian fatalities decreased by 14 percent (132 deaths in 2012 compared to 154 in 2011)
• 72.5 percent of all crashes occurred during daylight hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Motor vehicle crashes also created economic losses approaching $3 billion in Arizona last year. Economic losses tied to fatalities, including wage and productivity losses, totaled $1.2 billion, while losses from property damage added up to more than $640 million
• Alcohol-related fatalities decreased by 2 percent (281 deaths in 2012 compared to 287 in 2011)

"These figures should remind all of us to make a pledge to resist distractions and concentrate on safe driving," said ADOT Director John Halikowski. "Public safety agencies met recently to begin updating Arizona's Strategic Highway Safety Plan. One area sure to receive even more attention in the coming year is motorcycle safety. We urge all motorcyclists to seriously consider safety-training courses and remind all drivers to increase their awareness when sharing the road with motorcycle riders."

You can read the entire 2012 Arizona Crash Facts report online

Motorcycle-crash deaths in Arizona rose 59 percent between 2010 and 2011, an alarming statistic ADOT Director John Halikowski spoke of during a safety event held yesterday in Gilbert.

Halikowski was joined by Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Alberto Gutier and both stressed the importance of rider training while talking about statewide efforts to reduce fatal motorcycle-related crashes...

“As our economy continues to recover, people are driving more, and that's a factor when it comes to increasing crashes and fatalities, especially motorcycle-related deaths,” said Halikowski. “We'd encourage any riders to take safety courses approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.”

Finding effective strategies for reducing crashes, fatalities and serious injuries
Governor Jan Brewer has directed ADOT and the highway safety office to develop a range of strategies for reducing motor vehicle crashes and fatalities in Arizona.

“Governor Brewer has made this one of the state's goals and driver education will play a big role in making it happen,” said Gutier. “Motorcycle rider training is an important example of that.”

The state’s public safety agencies will work this year with other safety organizations and stakeholders to update the Arizona Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

“We're determined to turn any trend toward increased deaths and injuries around,” said Halikowski. “In addition to motorcycle training, it will be important for all of us as drivers to be vigilant in paying extra attention to motorcycle riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Director Gutier said motorcycle and general passenger vehicle safety starts with reducing the leading causes of traffic crash deaths.

"We all benefit when we obey speed limits, don't drive while impaired, avoid distractions and use proper restraints."

The TEAM Arizona motorcycle-training center in Gilbert, which hosted Wednesday's event, marked the training of its 100,000th rider over more than two decades. That rider was presented with a new Kawasaki motorcycle.