Get Ready for May

Volume 3, Number 3 - April 2000

In much of the country, May brings warm weather and an increase in the number of people who walk, bicycle, and ride motorcycles for transportation, recreation, and exercise. May is also the perfect time to emphasize that automobiles share the road with motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, and provides an important opportunity for traffic safety programs to respond to the needs of all roadway users.

May is both National Bike Month and National Motorcycle Safety Month. To support National Motorcycle Safety Month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) are sponsoring a national media tour, which will provide local media outlets with the opportunity to interview both motorcycle safety experts and celebrities with an interest in motorcycle safety, and to obtain pre-packaged video footage to use during news broadcasts. This is a valuable opportunity for Safe Communities programs to promote motorcycle safety and establish better relations with their local media and motorcycling organizations. For more information, contact Elizabeth Piper at MSF. Telephone: (949) 727-3227.

The National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators, with support from NHTSA, has created a National Motorcycle Safety Month website. The site, which can be found at www.smsa.org, includes public education materials as well as information on Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month activities in states and communities across the nation.

May also provides an opportunity to protect those inside the car during Buckle Up America Week/Operation ABC Mobilization (May 22-29). Last year's mobilization period involved more than 1,000 organizations, including Safe Communities coalitions, law enforcement agencies, and other groups. This year's mobilization will emphasize part-time seat belt users and children. A BUA Planner will include strategies for determining seat belt use rates in a community. For more information, contact the Air Bag and Seat Belt Campaign at (202) 625-2570 or visit their website at www.nsc.org/airbag.htm. Buckle Up America Planners and other materials are available from NHTSA (see Resources).

Top of Page