U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters Unveils Legislation to Help States Target Motorcycle Helmet Use
By admin - Posted on February 15th, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008, WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters today sent legislation to Congress seeking greater flexibility for states to target one of the leading causes of motorcycle deaths across the nation – riding without a helmet.
An avid motorcyclist, she credits her helmet and riding gear for saving her life during a 2005 motorcycle crash.
“My helmet prevented me from being a brain injury patient when I crashed my Harley two years ago,” Secretary Peters said. “We know helmets save lives and I want states to be able to join in urging riders to take personal responsibility for their safety by wearing a helmet every time they ride.”
The legislation submitted to Congress would allow states to use federal motorcycle safety funding to promote the use of motorcycle helmets. Currently, states are limited to using the funds for motorcycle safety training and awareness programs only.
Secretary Peters noted that states need additional resources to combat a sharp increase in motorcycle fatalities. In 2006, motorcycle fatalities reached 4,810, an increase of 127 percent since 1997, Secretary said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that motorcycle helmets not only saved the lives of 1,658 motorcyclists in 2006, but that 752 additional lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets, she added.
Calling motorcycles “our nation’s greatest highway safety challenge,” Secretary Peters launched a comprehensive federal initiative to improve motorcycle safety in October 2007. The action plan emphasizes more rider education and training, tougher standards for helmet certification labeling, law enforcement training, and road designs that consider motorcycle dynamics.
For more information on DOT’s motorcycle safety initiative, please visit http://www.nhtsa.gov/motorcycles/index.cfm
Source: DOT
Bookmark/Search this post with:
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Login to post comments
Related articles
- DOT Proposal Revolutionizes Rail Hazmat Tank Car Safety
- $68 Billion Budget Request for U.S. Department of Transportation in FY 2009
- U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters Announces New Open-Skies Aviation Agreement with Australia
- BTS Releases Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI)
- U.S. DOT Takes Action to Reduce Train Accidents Caused by Human Error
Latest stories
- Keating Economics
- Pelosi: The Legislation Has Failed But the Crisis Has Not Gone Away; We Must Work in a Bipartisan Way to Pass New Legislation
- Congressman Hoyer Statement Following Vote on Emergency Economic Stabilization Act
- Senator McCaskill Calls for Greater Accountability on Wall Street
- Senator Bob Casey Statement on Bailout Bill
- Senator Hillary Clinton Calls for Bipartisan Action on Economic Crisis
- Congress Passes Obama, Murkowski, Allen Bill to Ban Dangerous Mercury Exports
- Barack Obama Statement on Financial Plan Breakthrough
- Barack Obama Calls on VA Secretary to Provide Critical Data on Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Improve Veterans Services
- Statement from Senator Barack Obama on Washington Mutual
Yes We Can
Yes We Can:
