Almost 300 motorcycle enthusiasts, dealers, educators, and safety and enforcement officials gathered in Baton Rouge on Saturday, August 4th for the First Annual Louisiana Motorcyclist Safety Summit. The event was organized by the Louisiana Motorcyclist Safety & Awareness Committee and sponsored by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC).
Speakers included Col. Jim Champagne of LHSC, Michael Jordan of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, John Singleton of the American Motorcyclist Association, Larry Ourso of the Louisiana Department of Education Motorcycle Training Program, Baton Rouge Police Chief Jeff LeDuff, Dr. Todd Thoma, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at LSU Shreveport, and Louisiana State Police Major Ralph Mitchell.
Col. Champagne stated that Louisiana’s motorcycle safety record is among the worst in the nation. Over the last five years there were 395 motorcycle fatalities in the state, with a dramatic increase in 2006 to 93 fatalities, 88 of these being the operator. The number of fatalities projected this year, based on the 50 deaths through June, is a grim record 100.
The average age of the motorcycle fatality is 42, which Col. Champagne attributes to the number of “youth riders” who are now returning to motorcycling. “They believe they have the same skills they had at 18 or 19, so they don’t get training,” said Champagne.
In addition, alcohol played a role in at least 35 percent of the fatal crashes in 2006. Mr. Singleton and Mr. Jordan each spoke of various programs and a pilot project that bring the motorcyclist, tavern keeper, law enforcement and government together to reduce the number of alcohol-related motorcycle crashes and fatalities.
Nationally, failure to wear a helmet is a factor in 37 percent of fatalities. Col. Champagne noted that Louisiana’s mandatory helmet law has proven to save lives, but has not improved the state’s woeful statistical ranking. In 2006, 62 percent of the motorcycle crashes and 70 percent of the fatalities were the fault of the motorcycle operator. Col. Champagne stated that the improvement necessary to reduce the crashes, injuries and fatalities lies in the hands of the individual operators.