California Highway Patrol Increasing Motorcycle Awareness

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California Highway Patrol Increasing Motorcycle Awareness

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is taking extra measures to increase public awareness and motorcycle safety throughout the state.

The Announcement

An announcement was made via a CHP press release on Friday, October 13. The agency has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to start a program called Have A Good Ride IV (HAGR IV). The program will be utilized by the CHP to promote awareness of motorcycles by other drivers and promote motorcycle safety for the 1.4 million registered motorcycle riders in the state. The grant is funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

The CHP provided some motorcycle accident statistics when making their announcement. Those stats are as follows:

  • The number of accidents involving motorcycles increased by four percent in Federal Fiscal Year 2015 compared to the previous year.
  • Within the jurisdiction of the CHP, the provisional data for 2016 show at least a 10 percent increase in accidents involving motorcycles.

CHP Statement

The Acting Commissioner of the CHP, Warren Stanley, said that the CHP hopes to raise motorcycle safety and awareness through this program, which is considered educational and funded by grants. Stanley hopes that the program will help to reinforce the notion of sharing the road with motorcycles in an effort to save lives on and off bikes. Stanley noted that without educational programs like HAGR IV, the numbers mentioned earlier could continue to increase.

How the Program Works

So, how does the program work? The CHP will begin deploying officers to areas of the state that experience a high number of motorcycle accidents for the sole purpose of motorcycle safety enhancement. The program will run for one year and include the campaign “May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.” It will also include a series of educational campaigns focusing on motorcycle safety.

Focus of Educational Campaigns

The focus of the CHP’s public educational campaigns in the coming year will include the following:

  • Dangerous traffic violations (driving under the influence, improper turning, and speeding)
  • Using approved helmets when riding
  • Raising awareness of the motoring public of motorcycles
  • Raising awareness of the motoring public to share the road with motorcycles

Related Articles by Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyer, Ed Smith

Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer. Being injured in a motorcycle accident can leave lasting effects on your life, both physically and financially. If you or someone close to you has been hurt in an accident because of the negligence of another, please call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. I can also be reached online via my website, AutoAccident.com.

For more than three decades I have proudly served the Sacramento and Greater California community, helping injured people and their families recover from motorcycle accidents that involve wrongful death and personal injury. I invite you to read what former clients are saying about me on Avvo, Yelp, and Google.

Interested in my case results? Take a look at my verdicts and settlements page on AutoAccident.com.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons, California Highway Patrol by Steven Straiton. CC BY-SA 2.0
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