Motorcycle training offered to base personnel

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Each year motorcycle-related deaths plague the Air Force. Since Oct. 1, 2014, the Air Force has had eight motorcycle-related fatalities. That trend, if it continues, may surpass last year's total of 14 fatalities.

To help curb that trend, the 66th Air Base Group Safety Office has built an extensive Air Force-mandated motorcycle training program for active-duty Airmen, as well as for Defense Department civilians.

"A Basic Rider Course 1 and an Advanced Rider Course are now both available to active duty Air Force personnel assigned to Hanscom," said Shelly Kelley, 66th Air Base Group ground safety manager. "The training is mandatory for all military motorcycle riders assigned to Hanscom."

The Basic Rider Course, offered through September, is free for Air Force personnel assigned to Hanscom. Civilians are not eligible for the basic course.

The Advanced Rider Course, offered through August, is open to the following in the order of precedence: Active-duty military, Reserve, Guard, DoD civilians, military retirees and military dependents.

To register for a course, active-duty Airmen must first speak with a unit motorcycle coordinator to be entered into the tracking tool. Members then must also have a documented briefing with their commander prior to registering. Civilians are asked to contact the safety office directly at 781-225-5584.

"Upon completion of meeting with the unit motorcycle coordinator and commander, the member can then contact the safety office to set up a time to register for the motorcycle safety course," said Kelley.

Motorcycle riders are required to attend an initial training session and then an intermediate training session one year later. Members are thereafter required to attend a refresher training session every five years.

Air Force Instruction 91-207 and DoD Instruction 6055.04 require that motorcycle operators and their passengers wear proper protective clothing while operating on a military installation; this requirement applies to both military and civilians.

"For military personnel, protective clothing is required when riding on base or off," Kelley said. "Protective clothing is mandatory for civilians when they ride on the installation."

She also reminds members of the Hanscom community that a motorcyclist is much more vulnerable than a passenger vehicle occupant in the event of a crash. Research from the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that, per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are more likely than occupants in an automobile to die in traffic crashes.

The following are tips for drivers to help keep motorcyclists safe on the roadways:

· Remember, a motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle.
· Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width--never try to share a lane.
· Perform a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or exiting a lane of traffic and at intersections.
· Always signal intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
· Don't be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a motorcycle - motorcycle signals are often not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.
· Allow more following distance - three or four seconds - when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
· Never tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
· Never drive while distracted.

Motorcyclists can increase their safety by:

· Avoiding riding in poor weather conditions.
· Wearing brightly colored protective gear during the day and reflective gear during hours of limited visibility.
- Wearing a DOT-compliant helmet.
· Using turn signals for every turn or lane change, even if the rider thinks no one will see it.
· Combining hand signals and turn signals to draw more attention to themselves.
· Using reflective tape and stickers to increase visibility.
· Keeping high beams on during the day.
· Positioning themselves in the lane where they will be most visible to other drivers .
· Never driving while impaired.

Finally, Kelley highlights that pedestrians should also get into the habit of scanning for motorcyclists who might be hidden by other traffic.

For further information about motorcycle safety or to register for a motorcycle safety course, contact the safety office at 781-225-5584.

Base motorcycle operators are encouraged to visit the Air Force Rider website at www.afsec.af.mil/airforcerider/index.asp or Department of Defense Rider website www.defense.gov/militaryrider/ for additional safety-related information.