Agency promotes training course, helmets

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Drivers should expect to see more motorcycle riders on the road as peak riding season gets under way, according to Motorcycle Ohio, a division of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. Motorcycle Ohio is raising awareness about motorcycle safety ahead of National Motorcycle Safety Awareness month in May.

“There are over 400,000 registered motorcycles on Ohio’s roadways and safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Governor Mike DeWine said. “Ohio’s new distracted driving law is now in effect, which means all drivers must put their phones down when they’re behind the wheel and stay aware and alert.”

In 2022, 209 Ohioans were killed in motorcycle-related crashes, accounting for almost 18 percent of all fatal crashes in Ohio. 81 percent of motorcycle crashes occur between May and October and these crashes are more likely to occur on a weekend, with 53 percent happening on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

“Motorcycle crashes are 100 percent preventable,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson. “With more motorcycles on the road this time of year, drivers must look for riders who may be in their blind spots and always share the road with riders, but never share the lane.”

Motorcycle Ohio has released a new video for motorcyclists stressing the importance of riding trained. The video tells the story of Beth Fulton, a mother and motorcyclist from Jefferson County whose son was killed in a motorcycle crash April 23, 2022. Twenty-year-old Jesse Fulton did not take a Motorcycle Ohio training course and lost control on a curve, where the motorcycle overturned and struck a tree and a utility pole.

“Had he taken the course, I think it’s super possible it wouldn’t have happened,” Beth Fulton said. “He went out that night, took off on the bike, and failed to negotiate a turn. That’s part of the training, is going into turns and I honestly think that the training would have saved my son’s life.”

The Ohio Department of Public Safety – through the Ohio Revised Code – is charged with establishing a motorcycle safety and education program. This year, the department’s Motorcycle Ohio program is celebrating 35 years of providing Ohio’s riders the opportunity to improve their skills and make the roadways safer for all motorists.

“Ohio ranks fifth in the nation for motorcycle ridership, and we expect our riding community to continue to grow,” said Michele Piko, the program coordinator for Motorcycle Ohio. “This year more riders are signing up to get trained, and we are experiencing near-record course registration. This is likely due to more awareness of the Motorcycle Ohio program, and continued growth of ridership in Ohio during the pandemic.”

Funded by motorcycle plate fees and class registrations, the mission of Motorcycle Ohio is to provide affordable, effective training courses, and to reduce fatalities and injuries on Ohio’s roadways through rider education, public information campaigns, and licensing improvement.

Riders over 18 are not required by Ohio law to wear a helmet, but Motorcycle Ohio hopes that acknowledging riders who wear proper protective gear will help promote and increase awareness of the life-saving value of motorcycle helmets.