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1. Limiting riding to daylight hours on all roadways constructed or maintained with the use of any federal funds (which covers virtually all roadways other than those in private subdivisions). 2. Imposing a nationwide 55 mph speed limit on all two-wheeled vehicles using public roadways. 3. A prohibition on riding in the rain or on wet roads. 4. Mandatory full face, DOT-approved helmet use for all riders and passengers. 5. A prohibition on passengers of less than 18 years age. 6. A horsepower to weight ratio limit for all new motorcycles of 0.10 (e.g., limiting the horsepower of a 600 pound motorcycle to 60). 7. Governors on all new motorcycles limiting the top speed to 75 mph (the highest speed currently allowed by any state). 8. Revising the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to require anti-lock braking systems (ABS), lawn mower style (i.e., "deadman") throttle controls, and tipover protection devices on all new motorcycles beginning in 2004. 9. Applying passenger car emission standards to all new motorcycles by 2008, including a requirement of 10% of each manufacturers production to be Zero-Emission Vehicles, powered by either batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. 10. Controlling carbon dioxide emissions from motorcycles by requiring Corporate Average Fuel Economy of 82.5 miles per gallon by 2006. MSF's 10-Point Plan for Motorcycle Safety will dramatically reduce death and injury caused by motorcycling through a coordinated series of cost-effective, technological solutions. 1. Don't Fight the Night. Riding a motorcycle in daylight is risky business. Riding a motorcycle at night is foolhardy. Wildlife is more active and harder to see. Irregularities or debris on the road surface are harder to see. The motorcycle itself is harder to see. 2. Stay Alive at 55. Responsible states, such as California, recognize that some vehicles are inherently more dangerous than others. That's why heavy trucks are limited to speeds of 55 mph in California. U.S. Department of Transportation statistics prove that motorcycles are far more dangerous than any other type of vehicle used on public roadways. There is no reason why motorcycles should be allowed to travel at higher speeds than trucks. MSF estimates that a nationwide speed limit of 55 mph for motorcycles will reduce the annual death toll by 26.7%. 3. Slippery When Wet. The inherent instability of single-track vehicles results in enormously increased accident risk under conditions that reduce traction. It's possible to quickly recover from a minor slide in a 4-wheeled vehicle, but as soon as a motorcycle starts to slide, it falls. Combined with the lack of windshield wipers and closed passenger compartments, motorcycles are inherently unsafe in wet weather and should be parked. 4. Protect Your Head or End Up Dead. Head injuries are the number one cause of death in motorcycle accidents. Riding without adequate head protection not only increases the risk of serious injury or death, it increases the chances that a helmetless motorcyclist will become a burden on society. Madatory use of U.S. DOT-approved full-face helmets will reduce deaths, reduce serious injuries, and save taxpayers millions. 5. Don't Vote/Don't Ride. Riding is not a right, it's a privilege granted by the government. While adults may choose to accept the inherent risk associated with motorcycle riding, minors cannot be expected to make rational decisions regarding their own safety. Like smoking, drinking, and other life-threatening activities, motorcycle riding isn't kid stuff. 6. Power Corrupts. Loss of control during full throttle application has become a common problem with "sportbikes". The horsepower race among motorcycle manufacturers has become sheer madness. Sportbikes have become virtually uncontrollable. Accidents caused by wheelstands and spinning rear tires even occur on race tracks with professional riders. No one can responsibly or legally use the horsepower available from current production motorcycles on public roads. It's time to put an end to the horsepower race and limit the power to weight ratio of motorcycles to that of typical passenger cars. 7'. Speed Kills. No where in the country is it legal to drive a passenger car at more than 75 mph on public roads. There is no excuse for motorcycles designed to break the speed limit. Speed governor technology is simple and effective. It needs to be put in place immediately. 8. Stay in Control With Technology. Anti-skid braking systems have been available technology for many years, yet only a few motorcycles are equipped with ABS brakes. Given the inherent instability of single-track vehicles, ABS should be mandatory on all new motorcycles. Other design changes needed to improve motorcycle safety include "deadman" throttles and tipover bars. Using the same technology currently required on new lawn mowers, motorcycles should be designed so that the engine drops to idle whenever a hand is removed from the handlebars. This will prevent dangerous stunts like riding with no hands. Simple tipover bars will prevent crushed ankles and knees when the unavoidable tipover eventually occurs. This technology is already used on certain models like the Honda ST1100, a motorcycle that doesn't appeal to younger riders. Most models do not use tipover bar technology because it is considered like "training wheels" by more "macho" riders. 9. Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute. Despite their smaller size. Motorcycles are allowed to pollute over ten times more per mile of travel than passenger cars and light trucks. There's just no excuse for that; children and the elderly have to breathe the fumes emitted. All new cars and light trucks use catalytic converters and charcoal canisters to limit exhaust and evaporative emissions. Motorcycles should be required to use the same technology. 10. Save the Icecaps. Motorcycles are currently exempt from the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards that apply to passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Yet many motorcycles actually have worse fuel economy than some passenger cars. Cars like the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius are achieving over 50 mpg, yet many motorcycles achieve less than 40 mpg. Low fuel economy means more carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. With the end of the motorcycle horsepower race, there is no reason that motorcycles can't be designed to use no more fuel than passenger cars on a per passenger basis. Since many cars and SUVs can carry six people and most motorcycles can carry only two people, motorcycles should be getting at least three times the 27.5 mpg standard that applies to cars. 82.5 mpg is a reasonable standard for all motorcycle manufacturers to achieve on a corporate average basis. |
