The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) called for the U.S. Department of Transportation to fast track a long-overdue federal study into the causes of motorcycle crashes.
More than 10 million motorcyclists are traveling the roads today, more than any time in America’s history, said Rob Dingman, AMA President and CEO. “As a result of this growth and increased usage, we are experiencing more motorcycle fatalities, crashes and injuries."
NHSTA statistics released in September show the number of motorcycle riders or passengers killed on U.S. roads in 2007 increased 6.6 percent over 2006, while the overall number of traffic fatalities fell below the lowest numbers since 1994.
"Some time ago, Congress and the motorcycling community committed the necessary funds for this study," said Dingman. "For too long, NHTSA has simply focused on a strategy of advocating mandatory helmet use, while doing little to prevent crashes from occurring in the first place. With a new administration set to take office on January 20, we can’t afford any more delays while motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities continue to mount. The time to begin the study is now."
The study will be conducted by the Oklahoma Transportation Center, an independent and well-respected research facility at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. The last major motorcycle crash study was completed in 1980.
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