Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ INDUSTRY MotorCycleSafety Foundation e • ce e ra es h ro u g h o u t 1993 th e Mot o rcy cle Safety Foundation will celebrate its 20th anniversa ry. And there are many reasons to celebrate. Since the MSF was voluntarily established in 1973 by the U.S. distributors of BSA/Triumph, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha motorcycles, the number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities have dramatically decreased. Those numbers peaked in 1980at 177,160 accidents and 5097 fatalities. But since that lime - which has seen improvements in rider training and the establishment of legislated rider-training programs in 42 states - accidents T a nlve n rsa .have declined 46% to 94,917 and fatalities dropped 45% to 2790. "Fatalities are the lowes t in the MSF's history," said Peter Fassnach t, MSF vice president, safety programs. "We believe that the se reductions can be lin ked to the Foundation's effor ts to train riders and promote safe ridin g." In the past 20 years, more than one million riders have graduated from an MSF RiderCourse. Th ese courses are available in all 50 states, 42 of which have legislated rider-education p rograms. Toda y more than 4000 active instructors provide rider training at nearly 900 MSF-certifi ed training facili ties. More th an 15,00 0 in s tr u cto rs ha ve b een trained in the MSF's history by nearl y 300 chief instructors. When the MSF was formed in 1973, six states did not require a motorcycle endorsemen t on operators' dri vers licenses. Toda y only one state - Idaho doesn't require a motorcycle-operator license. The MSF provides technical assistance and examiner training for s ta tes that have adopted any of the MSF's four licensing exam inations. Cu rrentl y 37 states use MSFskill tests and 27 use knowledge tests developed by the MSF. While 1993 is a year of celebra tion at the MSF, it is by no means a time for rest. "We're always looking for new ways to improve the safety of motorcyclists," said MSF Presiden t Alan Isley. "We' ll continue to im prove our rider-training curricula and license examination materials, plus we'll keep searching for ways to make ev ery motorist on the road more aware of motorcyclists." The MSF headquarters is located in Irvine, California. The Foundation is supported by the u.s. d istributors of Honda, Suzuki , Kawasaki, Yamaha and BMW motorcycles. CN . Motorcycle Safetr Foundation highligl- -hts_ ----=1973:The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is formed ; first office opens in Washing ton, D.C. 1974: Motorcycle Task Analysis documents and categorizes over 2500 tasks necessary to opera te a motorcycle. 15,629 students trained . 1975: "Memorandu m of Understanding" between MSF and the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad minis tration (NHTSA) results in new motorcycle-licensing test materials. These materials included a motorcycle operator manual, knowledge test, rid ing test, and remedial skill-trai ning program. California DMV ado pts materials for field testing. 14,122 students trained. 1976: The Motorcycle Rider Course is released. 10,775 students trained. 1977: MSF, in cooperation with NHTSA, develops the Motorcycle In-Traffic licensing test. 22,778studen ts trained. 1978: Alternate ¥ OST licensing skill test developed from MSF resou rces. 19~93 ·studeTlt$t1"ained; . , . ,1m. '4· ." ~' "':~: : ""~{' ''. -~, ~ '~:', 1979: Univ ersity of Southern California Institute of Safe!y Professor Harry Hurt rel ea ses Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors ' and Identi fica tion of .Countermeasures, a landmark study in motorcycle Safety. MSf implementS the chief instructor program. Rhode Island becomes the first state to pass legislation p roviding for a statesupported rider-training program. The MSF, in conjunction with the American Automobile Association, creates "A Driver's View of Motorcycling." The seven-minute film on sharing the road is seen by hundreds of thou sands of viewers until it is revised in 1992. 20,409 students trained; cumulative total passes 100,000. 1980: MSF in trodu ces the Better Biking Prog ram to train experienced riders in adva nce d accid ent-a void an ce man euvers. MSF hosts first International Motorcycle Safety Conference in Washington, D.C.; 450 delegates attend. Hawaii and North Dakota pa ss legislation providing for state-supported ridertraining programs. 31,666 students trained. . 1981: Four regional offices open so that MSF staff can work at the gras s-roots level. Arizona and Nebraska pass legislation providing for state-supported ridertraining programs. 43,327students trained. . 1982:MSF headquarters moves to Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Connecticut, I1linois, . Kansas, Minnesota,South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin pass legislation roviding for state-su orted rider-training programs. 'j ' v, ' , ~" 28 . ' _ _ ' ,,' "_" , ~ _ 1984: Alan R. Isley appointed MSF president. Headquarters mo ves to southern California. Michigan and Pennsylvania pass legisl ation providing for state-supported ride r-training programs. 65,380 studen ts trained . 1985: Peter Fassnacht appointed MSF vice pres ident, safety program s. Delawa re, Georgia and Virginia pass legislation providing for state-su pported rider -training programs . . 75,249stu dents trained. 1986: The Motorcycle RiderCourse: Riding and Street Skills is introdu ced to teach the mental and physical skills of riding a motorcycle. California passes legislation providi ng for a state-supported rider-training program. 72,435 students trained; cumulative total reaches more than half a million. 1987: Motorcyclist Licensing Skill Test (MLST) introduced. Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana; Maine, Massach usetts and Ohio pa.s~. I~~laJion providing for state-supported rider-training pro grams. , 74,687sfudenis'trai!\ed. :""" :'~~:./ :"' ;~:".,,: . . ,,' 1988: MSF N atio nal Reso u rce California , }' Tenn.es~e~ passes legislation providing for a state-supported rider-training program . 72,776 students trained. 1989: The Experienced RiderCou rse, which focuses on skills identified as lacking in experienced riders, replaces the Better Biking Program. MSF receives the C-F1ag, given to organiz ations sponsoring exceptional community outreach programs, from President George Bush for the "Dress For It" television pu blic-service announcement, featu ring the rock gro up Warrant. New Hampshire and Connecticut pass legislation providing for state-supported ride r-training programs. 72,380 students trained; total figures reach nearly three-quarter million. 1990: MSF hosts the International Motorcycle Safety Conference in Orlando, Florida. The RiderCourse Insurance Plan is created . Colorado, Montana, South Carolina, Utah and Vermont pass legislation providing for state-supported rider-training programs. 89,350 students trained. 1991: The second half of the International Motorcycle Safety Conference, focusing'on safety; the environment, and the future, is hosted by the Insitut fur ZW~i~~dsicherheitand the MSF inBochum, Germany. Nevad ; •'.as~~s Ie . rovidin f • e-suPPorted rider-training pro-

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