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Owning and operating a motorcycle safely can be fun, but there are many risks that come with it. Sailors need to be aware of dangers on the road, rules and regulations set by their commands and the risks that come with inexperience. Some extra risks that motorcycle riders must keep in mind are inexperienced drivers, other vehicles, rough roads, speeding, and exposure of the rider during a collision. Fortunately, some of these can be eliminated with proper riding instruction.
According to paragraph 13, entitled Motorcycle Safety Training, of OPNAVINST 5100.12H, “All military personnel who operate a motorcycle on/off base, and all DoD civilian personnel who operate a motorcycle on base are required to complete a Commander, Naval Safety Center approved motorcycle rider safety course prior to operating these vehicles.”
Motorcycle safety training is provided to all military, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, and government civilian personnel assigned to the installation at no cost by instructors certified through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Service members, also, may not be charged leave to attend these courses.
Staff Sergeant Antony Martinez teaches motorcycle safety classes on Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. He says that the most common mistake made by service members is getting a bike they can’t control simply because their friends have one.
“Ride your ride, don’t let peer pressure make you do something you’ll regret later,” says Martinez. “It’s better to ride safe and slower than end up being a safety risk and possibly a hazard to the roadway.”
According to the January 2023 Navy Rider Down Report, in the month of January there were 20 motorcycle related incidents, three of which were fatalities. The cause of the majority of these incidents were loss of control or collision with a vehicle on the roadway.
Martinez says that we can begin to prevent these accidents from happening by ensuring all service members are aware of the roadways they share with others, that they are wearing the appropriate protective gear, are properly licensed and that their motorcycle has been inspected.
Sergeant First Class Joseph Reeves has attended the motorcycle courses on Fort Meade and says that the best advice he could give to a new rider would be to have trust in the instruction when attending and to not purchase a motorcycle that is too powerful for them.
For more information about the motorcycle safety courses, contact your installation’s safety office or the Recreational Safety Program Commander, Navy Installations Command at cnic.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2023 12:41 |
| Story ID: | 442562 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Motorcycle Mishap Mitigation, by PO3 Kazia Ream, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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