Riders participating in Motorcycle Safety Day at Joint Base Andrews, Md., depart on a group ride July 15, 2011. As a part of the Air Force's Year of Motorcycle Safety, the event was held for riders on JBA to increase their awareness of the need to ride safely. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
Terry A. Yonkers, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, and Col. Ken Rizer, commander of the 11th Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Md., address motorcyclists at the JBA Motorcycle Safety Day July 15, 2011. As a part of the Air Force's Year of Motorcycle Safety, the event was held for riders on JBA to increase their awareness of the need to ride safely. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
Officers from the Prince George's County Sherriff’s Department lead a group of motorcyclists from Joint Base Andrews, Md., July 15, 2011, on a ride off base to highlight Motorcycle Safety Day. As a part of the Air Force's Year of Motorcycle Safety, the event was held for riders on JBA to increase their awareness of the need to ride safely. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
by Senior Airman Torey Griffith
11th Wing Public Affairs
7/15/2011 - JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS) -- Service members, along with Department of Defense employees, retirees and civilians gathered for the Joint Base Andrews Motorcycle Safety Day here July 15.
The event, which included a group ride through Maryland's Prince George's County, was designed to inform riders of all skill and experience levels on how to combine their passion for two-wheeled travel with good practices that will keep them riding safely.
"What we are really about here today is to bring emphasis, sensitivity and focus to something that we can prevent," said Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, and an avid motorcycle rider. "Motorcycle safety is an important tool we can all use to prevent motorcycle-related deaths and other serious injuries."
Air Force officials have named 2011 "the year of motorcycle safety," and members here are planning to make the motorcycle safety day a yearly event.
"This is hopefully the start of many safety days to come," said Christopher Parks, the Joint Base Andrews assistant fire chief. "The Joint Base Andrews Motorcycle Safety Day is a benchmark for the riding community as we improve the safety of our military's only indispensable assets: our service members."
A steady rise in motorcycle ownership among service members has brought with it an upward trend of motorcycle-related deaths and injuries, officials said. Bases throughout the Air Force have begun similar programs to combat the injuries and loss of life.
"This is a contact sport and a defensive sport," Yonkers said as he addressed the riders at the opening ceremonies. "On any given year, there are 12 to 17 Airmen who die in motorcycle accidents. We want you to enjoy the ride, but at the same time, we want to ensure that you're safe."
The safety day is more than a reminder to strap on a helmet. Event officials also taught riders how to perform inspections on their bikes and gave pointers on how to sharpen their riding skills.
Highlights included demonstrations of precision ridership by members of the motorcycle team from the Sheriff's Department of Fairfax County, Va.; a slow-ride contest, in which contestants displayed their mastery of balance and bike control; and a "beer goggles" contest, where participants rode tricycles while wearing vision-blurring goggles to simulate drunk riding.
"You can bet that we are very, very serious and passionate about motorcycle safety," Yonkers said. "This year and every year to follow is going to be a motorcycle safety year for the United States Air Force."
Comments
7/21/2011 10:39:37 AM ET Michael, you are 5.5 times more likely to be killed on a motorcycle than a car in the US. There is a higher risk of death on motorcycles. More people die in cars simply because there are more cars, not because cars are less safe than motorcycles.
Analyst, Barksdale
7/19/2011 11:24:38 AM ET Out of all the good that a group gathering of this type does, the only comment anyone has is first picture we see is of a rider with her face shield up and no other eye protection... First, she's in a parking lot driving slow. Second, if all you have to do is pick apart a picture, then you need to rethink being a MSF instructor...
What Ever, F E Warren AFB WY
7/19/2011 11:11:10 AM ET If you're going to post how many Airman die per year on motorcycles please include how many die in vehicles other than motorcycles for comparison purposes. Otherwise your article insinuates motorcycles are the cause of the deaths, which is of course ridiculous. Thank you.
Michael, Wyoming
7/18/2011 8:16:05 PM ET A whole day and a nice ride dedicated to safety and the first picture we see is of a rider with her face shield up and no other eye protection. Really! And folks wonder why riders get a bad rap. Come on people -- all the gear all the time. It's not difficult and it could save you from serious injury or death.
