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Laws for riding motorcycles

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by Wells Foster, Chivon Kloepfer from https://www.wlns.com Laws for motorcyclists are a little different than ones for regular cars. Local legal expert Bryan Waldman breaks down the differences in this Legal Edge report. First, motorcyclists must have the correct kind of insurance. Then, they need a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license. Michigan does not require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, but you first must reach a few milestones. Everyone on a motorcycle under 21 must wear a helmet, regardless of their experience on a bike. They must also have had a motorcycle endorsement for at least two years and/or pass a safety test. You must also have extra insurance coverage to cover medical bills. In Michigan, motorcycles are not considered motor vehicles, meaning insurance works a little differently. Motorcyclists don’t need to purchase any fault insurance. As long as a motor vehicle is involved, a motorcyclist is entitled to benefits. For example, if a motorcyclist spins out and crashes on some gravel by themselves, no fault benefits will activate. However, if they are involved in a near-miss with a car, the benefits do activate.

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Free Youth Leadership Program in Driver Education in Canada

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Teens in Ontario can now apply for new Vision Zero Youth Network Program. The Vision Zero Youth Network (VZYN) by Teens Learn to Drive Inc. allows teens in Ontario ages 15-19 to gain experience and help make their communities safe. ONTARIO, CANADA – Non-profit organization, Teens Learn to Drive Inc. (TL2D) is inviting media partners for the launch of its new leadership program for Ontario high school students called the Vision Zero Youth Network (VZYN). In Ontario’s worst case scenario, a 16-year old could: • Pass the G1 written test after taking 10 to 12 practice tests online. (This test concentrates on sign recognition of the rules of the road, and both are largely forgotten afterwards.) • Drive back and forth to the grocery store for a year while parents are unaware of what their child is doing on the road. • Practise the route of a road test a few times before taking the actual assessment – (perhaps in a much less busy region than where they live). NOTE: During this time, the parent cannot let them drive on 400-series highways. • On their 17th birthday, pass the 17-minute road test. • Then pile their friends into the car and head out on the 401 – North America’s busiest road – while driving at high speeds alongside other cars, trucks, motorcycles and emergency vehicles. If that sounds far-fetched, 62% of new drivers in Ontario do not take formal driver education (2019, MTO data). Instead, they learn from friends and family members who may have bad habits or outdated information. Vision Zero is an idea that was developed in Sweden during the late 1990s. It aims to eliminate deaths on roads by using systems and infrastructure to lessen the damage when drivers make mistakes. Sweden also strengthened their mandatory driver

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More Motorcycle Safety Awareness campaigns by authorities

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California Highway Patrol asking motorists to drive with caution from https://www.kget.com The California Highway Patrol is recognizing May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The department says as the weather warms up, more and more motorcycles and cars are expected to be hitting the road. Preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System show more than 500 people were killed in motorcycle-involved crashes in California in 2020 and more than 11,500 people were injured. Here in Kern County, at least eight people have died in motorcycle crashes so far this year. The CHP is asking motorcyclists to be responsible and properly equipped. They’re also asking drivers to watch out for motorcyclists on the road. CHP: Motorcycle safety requires everyone’s attention by Jaime Coffee, Information Officer II, California Highway Patrol from http://antiochherald.com The warming weather and increasing number of vehicles traveling on California’s roadways offer a timely reminder of the importance of motorcycle safety awareness for motorcyclists and motorists alike. By recognizing May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) emphasizes safe riding and driving practices for everyone. “Motorcyclists who are responsible, informed, and properly equipped can help reduce rider deaths and injuries,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “Motorists are also key to reducing crashes by being aware of the dangers and challenges of motorcycle riding. Taking the time to look twice for motorcyclists can save a life.” “Motorcycle riders are more vulnerable out in the elements, which is why it is important for drivers to always be mindful of riders,” California Office of Traffic Safety Director Barbara Rooney said. With more than 1.4 million licensed riders, motorcycles are a popular mode of transportation for Californians, another reason motorcycle safety awareness is paramount. Preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System show more than 500

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Authorities remind people about safety and motorcycle awareness

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State Authorities in California, Maryland and Wisconsin announce recommendations for safety and awareness on Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month DMV reiterates safe riding practices in respect to Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month by The Bakersfield Californian from https://www.bakersfield.com The California Highway Patrol is emphasizing safe riding and driving practices in May as part of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. In a news release, the CHP said that more than 500 people were killed in motorcycle-involved crashes in California in 2020 and more than 11,500 people were injured. There are more than 1.4 million licensed riders in the state, the CHP said. With those numbers in mind, the agency strongly encourages all riders to enroll in the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. The CMSP has 98 training sites throughout the state and trains approximately 55,000 motorcyclists each year. For more information or to find a training site near you, visit californiamotorcyclist.com or motorcyclesafetyca.com. The CHP added that motorcyclists can help protect themselves by wearing proper safety gear including a U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmet, following the speed limit, riding defensively, and always riding sober. Drivers should always look at their mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes and always keep a safe distance. The CHP promotes motorcycle safety with the Get Educated and Ride Safe program, funded by a $750,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. All eight CHP field divisions will hold outreach events to promote motorcycle safety throughout 2021 under the GEARS grant. “Motorcyclists who are responsible, informed, and properly equipped can help reduce rider deaths and injuries,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “Motorists are also key to reducing crashes by being aware of the dangers and challenges of motorcycle riding. Taking the time to look twice for motorcyclists can save a life.” May

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ABATE 31st annual safety ride

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from https://www.wgrz.com Buffalo-area motorcyclists take part in 31st annual safety ride. The American Bikers Aimed Toward Education event aims to remind all drivers that motorcyclists are back on the road. BUFFALO, N.Y. — May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, and on Saturday, 75 motorcyclists took part in the 31st annual American Bikers Aimed Toward Education safety ride. The event is aimed at reminding all drivers that motorcyclists are back on the road. There are plenty of safety tips for motorcyclists, including the obvious. “On a motorcycle, you want to make yourself visible,” Lee Argen of ABATE Buffalo said. “You always want as visible as possible. Daytime ride with your high beam lights on. A lot of times, I think people are not visible because their lights are either off or on low beam in the daytime.” Drivers should never try to share a lane with a motorcycle. Always give a motorcycle the full lane width. The one-hour event began Saturday afternoon at the Rath Building in downtown Buffalo.

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Lane Filtering awareness on Motorcycle Awareness Month

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by Mercy Owusu from https://www.abc4.com Expect to see motorcycles lane filtering, it’s legal under certain circumstances Lane Filtering is NOT the same as Lane Splitting. Legal for roads with speed limit NOT LEGAL on Freeways. UTAH – As the weather continues to get warmer, Utahans can expect to see more motorcycles on the road — and more motorcycles means more lane filtering. The Department of Public Safety wants to remind drivers they can expect to see motorcycles lane filtering, as well as remind motorcyclists of the conditions under which lane filtering is legal. What is Lane filtering? Lane filtering is when motorcyclists move between two lanes to the front of traffic that is stopped at an intersection. Motorcycle lane filtering was made legal under certain circumstances in Utah in May of 2019. The decision came after the Utah legislature’s passage of HB 149 during the 2019 legislative session. Officials say the law for lane filtering was designed to prevent or reduce rear-end collisions between approaching vehicles and motorcycles stopped in traffic. They added, unlike lane “splitting,” lane “filtering” is intended to provide a “safety pocket” for motorcycles when encountering stopped traffic. Since motorcycle riding is seasonal in Utah, some drivers may be surprised when they see motorcyclists who are lane filtering. Officials emphasized that lane filtering between stopped vehicles on roadways with at least two lanes in the same direction and speeds of 45 mph and lower is legal in Utah. Having a motorcycle pass closely to your stopped vehicle can be startling. However, officials say if you’re aware that lane filtering is legal and know to expect it, you can maintain an awareness of your surroundings and reduce the element of surprise. Motorcycles can lane filter in Utah when the following conditions are met, according to officials: The individual

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Ghost Bike motorcycle statue for awareness

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by Dan Soul from https://www.mylloydminsternow.com Ghost bike stands again as reminder of motorcycle safety, tribute to fallen riders The Lloydminster Sport Riders are putting up a ghost bike for another year, to serve as an important reminder for drivers and motorcyclists to share the road and keep each other safe. The motorcycle statue was first put up last year, not only as a reminder to be road aware of bikes but as a sobering reminder of and a way to honour fallen riders as well. With this month marking Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Alberta, it will stand at the 59 Avenue-25 Street intersection. The administrator of the LSR, Philip Cummine, says the bike’s key message is being cognizant of the riders people share the road with. ” We want to make sure everyone gets home safe. So we want to help bring the awareness to make sure that people realize that there are motorcycles out there, and a lot of motorcyclists are putting their life on the line when they get out on the road because, for them, a simple accident can be life-threatening.” Riders are out on the road much more in the summer, and both they and drivers can take steps to be protected. For people on their bikes, this means wearing protective gear, making a plan for their ride, and not going out alone so that someone is there to help. Drivers should keep an eye out for riders, be extra diligent in checking blind spots and mirrors, and slow it down when coming up on someone on a motorcycle. Lloydminster RCMP Sargeant Brad Mouland says every year they respond to accidents between motorcycles and cars and they want people on both sides to be aware. “Within Lloydminster, unfortunately, we have seen injury-related collisions and fatalities.

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Britain insurance companies on self-driving vehicles

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by Nick Carey, Paul Lienert and Tina Bellon of Reuters from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Britain’s driverless car ambitions hit speed bump with insurers Insurers are key players in the shift to automated driving, with some investing in a technology they believe will slash accidents and deaths, and save them billions in payouts. But they are worried drivers might equate today’s lower levels of automation with fully self-driving vehicles, potentially causing more accidents in the short term and permanently damaging public confidence in the technology. Britain’s goal to be a leader in adopting self-driving cars could backfire unless automakers and government regulators spell out the current limitations of the technology, insurance companies warn. “What you describe things as is incredibly important, so people don’t use them inappropriately,” said David Williams, managing director of underwriting at AXA Insurance, whose parent AXA SA made 17 billion euros in revenues from property and casualty insurance, including motor insurance, in 2020. “I genuinely believe the world will be a safer place with autonomous vehicles and I really don’t want that derailed.” In what would be a world first, Britain is considering regulating the use of Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) on its roads, possibly even on motorways at speeds of up to 70 miles (113 km) per hour. It is also deciding whether to describe them to the general public as “automated” systems. It is that one word – automated – that has stirred controversy and put the country at the centre of a global debate about self-driving terminology at a sensitive moment in its evolution. The technology is evolving rapidly and there is no consensus on how to deploy it or what to call some features. Regulations in the Americas, Europe and Asia lag far behind technical developments and issues over accident liability are unresolved. ALKS

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An Eye on Recent Motorist Rights Court Cases

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FROM National Motorists Association https://www.motorists.org Motorist rights cases have made news and even history recently. There have been so many as of late, we are dedicating two separate newsletters to provide some insight on the legal rulings that are affecting drivers around the country. This week’s newsletter focuses on recent rulings and pending US Supreme Court and federal court cases. Part 2 next week will outline state court decisions. TheNewspaper.com, featured prominently in these two newsletters, is a great supplement to the NMA’s Motorists.org site for the latest news and opinions on the politics of driving. The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) Last week’s unanimous decision that curtails excessive government fines and property seizures has provided further impetus for one of the NMA’s primary lobbying initiatives: civil asset forfeiture (CAF) reform. The decision received broad bipartisan praise. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the ruling that the excessive fines clause is a fundamental restriction that applies to the states under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. While the SCOTUS decision is monumental, the fight is far from over. Some states still allow the seizure of property from citizens — motorists are prime targets — who have never been charged with a crime. Our work for reform at the federal and state levels continues in earnest. Additionally, SCOTUS accepted a case in January that will decide whether an unconscious drunk person has given implied consent for a blood draw to determine alcohol level. The case might resolve an important constitutional question: Can state legislatures obviate the warrant requirement by “deeming” that citizens can consent to Fourth Amendment searches without explicitly expressing that consent? Federal Appeals Court Cases Judges for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in late January that a person driving a registered vehicle on a public road

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