Iowa Motorcycle Safety Network -- 2007 Forum

Dear Innovations in Motorcycling participant or invitee:

Thank You

The event planning team would like to thank you for your interest and commitment to improving Motorcycle Safety and reducing motorcycle crash deaths and injuries. We especially appreciate the event promotion many of you helped with and the lively discussion and input provided by participants this year. The enclosed tire gauge is a valuable safety reminder and tool provided to you by AAA Iowa-Minnesota and the Iowa map is from DOT - reminding you to "plan ahead for safer trips."

We also thank the exhibitors and door prize contributors. An event of this type will not happen without the assistance of many businesses, groups, and individuals, so please remember to join us in thanking them and encouraging others to support the event next year. We could not provide you with such a successful event without the dedicated assistance of many.

2007 Success

This year's event was a great success in attendance numbers, diversity, well-received speakers, and especially discussion and networking among those who attended. The evaluations were very positive and your valuable suggestions will be considered for next year's event. In perhaps the most significant measure of success, over 90% of the evaluation form respondents reported they would attend and/or recommend a future Forum to a friend.

Forum Goals and Gains

It's vitally important we continue to ensure the event (1), is timely and provides accurate information about motorcycle safety, and (2), provides a "forum" where motorcycle safety issues and safety countermeasures for Iowa can be openly discussed and explored, and (3), provides attendees and groups with specific ways they can take action to improve motorcycle safety in the next year. The planning team will work to provide all of that and more in future events.

Innovations in Motorcycling - Results of the opening "Brainstorming" session:

In the day's first session, participants formed brainstorming groups and each group posted their top motorcycle safety concerns. Then attendees used their allotment of stickers to cast their votes on the lists posted throughout the room.

Top 5 Strategies

Rank	Total Votes	Strategy
1	30	Make penalties stronger for those who cause motorcycle crashes
2	29	Train novice drivers (in driver education) regarding motorcycles
3	21	Mandatory Beginning Rider Course (BRC)
4a	20	Mandatory cell phone restrictions
4b	20	Mandatory helmet law
5	19	No sales tax on motorcycle safety gear
	139	Total votes

Top 5 Strategies Areas Determined by "Grouping" Similar Items

Rank	Total Votes	Strategy
1	163	Education and awareness
2	92	Traffic law
3	60	Helmet law
4	54	Road engineering
5	41	Cell phone use
	410	Total votes

Important News and Ways YOU can Promote Motorcycle Safety in 2007:

Did you know there is a new Iowa Motorcycle Safety Network? Sign up free now to be "in-the-loop" for future safety news, Iowa Motorcycle Safety Forum announcements and events. A new permanent registration option allows you, your motorcycle club, or motorcycle business to register at any time. Registering now at: www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/motorcycle/home.htm will enter you in a special prize drawing to be held at the 2008 Safety Forum.
Did you know May is Motorcycle Awareness Month? Please do all you can to promote it among your fellow riders. A poster is enclosed for you to post in your business, share in your cycle club or copy and pass on. Additional details and an electronic version of the poster may be obtained by visiting www.iowamre.com.
Did you know FREE motorcycle headlamp modulators are being donated to the first 5 Iowa riders who contact the Iowa Traffic Safety Alliance at 515.239.1169 or mary.stahlhut@dot,iowa.govTry one out and tell us about your experience.

Did you know Wednesday, July 18^th is Ride your Motorcycle to Work Day? Please help the upcoming 16th annual RTW Day become an even greater success by promoting it among your friends and in your riding club. Visit http://www.ridetowork.org for more information and graphics you can use. More than any other motorcycling event, Ride to Work Day demonstrates that motorcycles have an important place in our transportation system, and that riding is a social good.

Did you know MRE 'vanity' license plates are now available? The additional fee collected supports Iowa's MRE Fund. Additional details can be found at: http://www.iamvd.com/ovs/plates/mcrider.htm

***2006 Iowa Legislature clarification: Thanks to ABATE and bicycle enthusiasts, Iowa's driver education law has been amended to require the use of "share the road materials." These materials teach novice drivers about two-wheel vehicle roadway rights, why motorcycles and bicycles are harder to see and how they operate differently. DOT reproduced ABATE's Share the Road Program videos for ABATE to present or distribute to all certified driver education programs. DOT also provided about 40,000 of Iowa's Stay Alert-Stay Alive" brochures. In addition, a measure requiring higher fines for right-of-way violations was enacted. This was proposed in memory of ABATE motorcyclists involved in a deadly head-on crash where the at-fault driver received a small fine. (See SF2267 for the bill.)

Next year's "Prepare for the Ride - Live for the Journey" is Friday, March 14, 2008.
Mark your calendars today for next year's forum and then tell a friend!

Sincerely,

2007 Iowa Motorcycle Safety Forum