OFF THE WIRE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MMA Information Alert: MRF reports NHTSA seeking Motorcycle Safety Money
Yesterday, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had submitted their 2012 budget. Included in that budget is a section outlining Motorcycle Safety Grants, including a line item requesting $7 Million for the promotion of DOT Helmet use…
The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) agrees with the MRF’s reading of the budget and concurs with their assessment that this is really nothing more than a cover for further Motorcycle-Only checkpoints such as those held in Georgia this past week during Daytona Bike Week.
While on the surface, anything promoting Motorcycle Safety should be a positive, NHTSA already has a track record of turning that into a negative – promoting and proposing a National Helmet Law, Promoting and funding Motorcycle-Only Roadblocks, and reducing focus on crash causation studies which could lead to avoidance, as opposed to attempting to force the burden of protection on Motorcyclists.
The MRF calls for all members to express their displeasure with the NHTSA budget. The MMA agrees and requests that all riders contact their legislators, as we’ve previously suggested with regard to HR904, which would stop NHTSA funding of Motorcycle-Only Checkpoints.
More information on HR904 can be found here:
http://www.massmotorcycle.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=769540&item_id=16198
Call, email, or fax your legislator and tell them you oppose Motorcycle-Only checkpoints! Be polite yet direct, for example:
“As a constituent of yours I am concerned that the NHTSA budget request for the 2012 fiscal year is asking for funding targeted to promote DOT helmet usage. As I’m sure you’re aware, helmets are a state issue and are not something that should be mandated by the federal government. In this environment of financial instability, I’m sure you could find far better uses for $7M. Unless NHTSA is going to focus on the causes of crashes involving ALL vehicles, we would rather see this money put to better use.”
You can find information concerning who your legislators are and how to contact them here:
http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm
For More Information , please see http://www.massmotorcycle.org/,
http://www.mrf.org/
or contact mrfrep@MassMotorcycle.org
©2011 Massachusetts Motorcycle Association – Documents referenced herein are with permission of their respective Copyright owners.
