Motorcycle Safety

  • Published
  • By Airman Justin Shelton
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
The 101 critical days of summer is a prime time to consider safety in regular everyday activities, particularly that of motorcycle safety.

Each year, Air Force loses Airmen to vehicular accidents. Statistics from 2007 show the number of vehicle mishap fatalities was approximately 3.5 times higher than the fatalities in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom during the same year.

Air Force Safety Center Web site statistics show there were 19 casualties in both OEF and OIF for all of year 2007. Mishap statistics also pulled from the AFSC Web site states that the Air Force had a total of 70 stateside fatalities in 2007, 64 of which happened during off-duty periods and six occurred during on-duty periods.

Forty-nine of the 64 mishap related fatalities were directly caused by traffic incidents. Out of the 49 fatalities 27 were results of four wheeled vehicles and 17 were results of motorcycles. Two out of the six on duty mishap fatalities were traffic related. One involved a four wheeled vehicle and one involved a motorcycle.

In comparison all motorcycle related fatalities in the Air Force for the year of 2007 totaled 18 and is almost equivalent to the total count of fatalities in both OEF and OIF for the same year.

There were two motorcycle fatalities out of the 18 recorded that belonged to Airmen from Air Mobility Command.

McConnell Air Force Base offer classes and safety techniques to help prevent motorcycle casualties. The base safety office runs three courses: The basic rider course, which is a two-day class geared towards new and inexperienced riders. The experienced rider course, which is an eight-hour class geared towards drivers who have had at least one year of riding experience, but individuals could still learn a few new maneuvers and techniques to protect themselves on the highways and city streets.

The ERC is also for anyone that has taken the BRC and wants to increase their skill level with a motorcycle. Finally, the safety office offers, the sport bike course; a one-day class that is geared specifically for owners of smaller sport bikes, and teaches them a different set of advanced riding skills that are tailored to maneuvering on sport bikes.

The BRC is being held July 10 and 11, August 14 and 15, September 18 and 19, and October 16 and 17. Airman 1st Class Randy Golleher, 22nd Civil Engineering Squadron, was one of many that took the BRC in early May in order to become more educated.

"The instructors were great and the class was very informative," stated Airman Golleher.

The ERC is being held June 21, August 16, September 20, and October 18. 1st Lt. John Piekarski, 384th Air Refueling Squadron, has been riding for six years and took the ERC in late May in order to enhance his motorcycle skills.

"Even for an experienced rider of six years there was still a lot to learn," stated Lieutenant Piekarski.

"Sport Bike riders are highly encouraged to attend the AMC sport bike course scheduled for July 9, August 6, and September 10," said Mark Erpelding, 22nd Air Refueling Wing ground safety manager.

These classes are various ways that Airmen as a whole can assist in lowering the overall number of vehicular casualties.

There are other things that can be done to ensure safety when on a motorcycle or in a motor vehicle of any kind. Staying aware of the drivers and traffic conditions around you, can be paramount in being able to make a split second decision that could prevent an accident.

Motorcyclists don't have the advantage of wearing a seat-belt that four-wheeled vehicles possess; therefore proper training and vehicle maintenance is a must in order to stay safe.

Keeping up with regular maintenance on your vehicle, such as checking to make sure that tires, brakes and lights are in working order before driving are all things that can decrease your chances of becoming a road-way fatality.

For more information on this topic, visit the Air Force Safety Center Web site at http://afsafety.af.mil/seg/Traffic_Safety/Motorcycle.shtml or call the base safety office to enroll in any of the three motorcycle courses at 759-3216 or 759-3218. All riding regulations can be found within, Air Force Instruction 91-207 current as of May 22, 2007 along with the Air Mobility Command Supplement current as of May 13, 2008.