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ICJI > Traffic Safety > Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Motorcycle Safety & Awareness

Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Month

As the State Administrating Agency (SAA), the Traffic Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) is responsible for the development and implementation of programming designed to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries related to motorcycle crashes.

In 2006, there were more than 2,500 motorcycle collisions in Indiana, a two percent reduction from 2005. Collisions were split equally between single and multiple vehicle crashes. There were 92 fatal collisions that resulted in 96 fatalities, consisting of 85 motorcycle operators and 11 passengers. All but three operators were males; all but one of the passengers were female. In 2006, the fatality total was 14 less than in 2005 reaulting in a 12.7 percent decrease. The percent of total Indiana traffic fatalities generated by motorcycle crashes grew from 6.6 percent in 1994 to a high of 11.7 percent in 2005, with a slight decrease in 2006 to 10.7 percent.

Although collisions per 10,000 registered motorcycles in Indiana decreased substantially from 1994 to 2006, the number of motorcycle fatalities per registered motorcycle remained roughly constant, suggesting that the probability of a fatal outcome from collisions has increased.

Since 2000, Indiana has either been at or slightly below the U.S. fatality rate per 10,000 registered motorcycles. Indiana’s fatality rate has dropped from 7.0 in 2004 to 5.9 in 2006. Nonetheless, it has consistently led the Great Lakes region from 1994 to 2006. Although this might be linked in part to different motorcycle usage rates, Indiana’s annual rates are still comparatively high.

In the spring of 2007, The Traffic Safety division of ICJI was awarded Section 2010 Funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to implement motorcycle safety programming in Indiana. These funds allowed for the purchase of training motorcycles to be used by students at rider training courses. Funds were also utilized to purchase two mobile classroom trailers in order to provide rider training courses in Indiana counties that were previously not equipped to host training. Also, a paid media campaign was launched to remind all motorists in the state of Indiana to be on the lookout for motorcycles.

Stay Alert, Be Aware - Governor Daniels Motorcycle Awareness Commercial Steel Horse Television Spot

On April 26th and April 27th 2007, ICJI hosted the Region V Motorcycle Safety summit. The summit was attended by approximately 50 people representing state and federal highway safety offices in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, Washington D.C.  This event was also attended by representatives of the media, and members of motorcycle groups from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.

Topics of discussion included motorist awareness campaigns, enforcement strategies, state by state problem identification, media perspectives, and countermeasures to reduce motorcycle crashes.

Steve Reeves, the host of Indiana’s “Steel Horse” and WISH TV Channel 8 anchor Ruthanne Gordon were presenters in the media portion of the summit.      

Motorcycle Summit Presentations

Links

Other Information