Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition Meeting

Name: Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition Meeting
Start: 2025-12-11T10:00:00-06:00
End: 2025-12-11T12:00:00-06:00
Location: Texas A&M Transportation Institute

December 11, 2025 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm CST

Location

Texas A&M Transportation Institute
1111 Rellis Parkway
Bryan, TX

Map/Directions (Google Maps)

Organizers

Texas A&M Transportation Institute Texas Department of Transportation

Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition Meeting Minutes

December 11, 2025, 10:00 am – noon

Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Headquarters RM 1140 & Teams

Welcome & Agenda (mm 00:00:25)

The meeting was opened by Cathy Brooks, who welcomed everyone and expressed appreciation to participants joining both in person and virtually from across Texas. Attendees were encouraged to introduce themselves and to speak up as needed. The meeting agenda was outlined.

Crystal O’Rear (TTI) announced the new year of the Unlicensed to Ride project, sponsored by a TxDOT Traffic Safety Grant. The study, which will be open to enrollment in the late spring and early summer of 2026, offers $150 to new riders who participate in online surveys before and after taking the Basic Rider Course. A notification will be sent out to the TMSC email list and posted on social media when study enrollment opens; recruiting information will also be provided through motorcycle schools.

Safety Minute: Riding at Night (mm 00:05:25)

Laura Higgins presented the Safety Minute, highlighting the increased risk of fatal crashes involving motorcyclists during nighttime, dusk, and dawn hours. Because of the decreased visibility in dark or low-light conditions, it is extra important to check that headlights and taillights are working, to wear reflective fabrics or tape, and to drive defensively around other vehicles when riding at night.

Raine DeVries asked if blue lights on motorcycles (for better visibility in the dark) are still prohibited by law. Tracie Manthiel referenced Transportation Code § 547.305, which specifies that a blue light on a vehicle cannot be flashing or alternating.

Task Force Update (mm 00:10:35)

Laura Higgins provided a Task Force update. The Task Force is working on selecting its project for the year. The topic will be selected during the next month and work will begin in January.

Motorcycle Safety Forum Planning (mm 00:13:35)

The 2026 Motorcycle Safety Forum is scheduled for April 11, 2026 at a location to be announced soon. We are looking for the TMSC’s input on topics, speakers, and activities to include in the Forum agenda. Past Forum agendas can be seen at https://www.looklearnlive.org/events/category/safety-forum/.

Suggestions and questions received during the meeting included:

Suggestion for a presentation on motorcycle skid bikes
Question: How long does each speaker usually have in the program? Answer: typically about 45 minutes to an hour.
Question: How are TMSC safety messages sent out to the public? Answer:
- TxDOT-sponsored paid media campaigns (https://www.txdot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-campaigns/motorcycle-safety.html). The Sherry Matthews Group manages the paid media campaign, which includes placing PSA billboards in areas of the state with high numbers of motorcycle crashes.
- Printed materials and social media through LookLearnLive and related campaigns (https://www.looklearnlive.org)
- TMSC meetings, mailing list, and Forum.
- Each TxDOT District has a Traffic Safety Specialist (TSS) who can help to promote safety messages in their area.
- Concerns and questions about roadway engineering and/or work zones can be reported to the appropriate TxDOT District (https://www.txdot.gov/about/districts.html).
Question: has anyone done an analysis of the Permian Basin regarding risks to motorcycles?

Please send your suggestions for Forum topics, speakers, or activities to Cathy ([email protected]) or Laura ([email protected]).

Presentation: Other Current Work in Motorcycle Safety (mm 00:40:27)

Cathy Brooks gave a presentation on other work that is underway to improve motorcycle safety in Texas, including efforts sponsored by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to improve the recruiting and retention of motorcycle safety instructors, to identify barriers that riders encounter to becoming trained and licensed, to provide support to motorcycle safety instructors via an annual workshop, and to improve motorcycle awareness content in driver education courses.

Announcements and Open Forum (mm 01:19:29)

“Look Twice” yard signs are available! Please contact Laura or Cathy for signs.

Nominations are open for the 2026 TMSC Safety Awards. These competitive awards are meant to recognize, honor, and celebrate those individuals or groups who go “above and beyond” in support of the mission to increase motorcycle safety in the State of Texas. All nominations are considered for each of the following awards:

The Texas Motorcycle Safety Champion Award
The Texas Motorcycle Safety Difference Maker Award

To learn more about the awards, review the eligibility criteria and types of nominations at the following links:

Eligibility criteria: https://www.looklearnlive.org/safety-awards/eligibility/
Types of nominations: https://www.looklearnlive.org/safety-awards/types-of-nominations/

To submit a nomination, click here: (https://tti.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eJvtWlEEwuLwdSu)

Adjourn (mm 01:30:30)

If you have any topic ideas for future meetings (or the Forum), please send them to Cathy ([email protected]) or Laura ([email protected]).

Ride safe and have a great rest of your week!