Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition Meeting

November’s TMSC Meeting Agenda

10:00 – 10:15 AM Opening Remarks & Introductions (Maurice Maness)
 Welcome
 Announcements

10:15 – 10:30 AM Task Force Update (Jude Schexnyder)

10:30 – 10:45 AM Motorcycle Safety Awareness and Outreach Project (Cathy Brooks)
 Events
 Motorcyclist Safety Presentations
 TSS Coalition Presentations
 NHTSA Motorcycle Safety Program Assessment

10:45 – 11:35 AM “The Looked But Failed to See Motorcyclist/Car Crash”
Dr. Dan Petterson is president and chief executive officer of the Skilled
Motorcyclist Association – Responsible, Trained and Educated Riders, Inc.
– known as SMARTER.
This presentation will provide participants with an introduction to the
perception research that identifies the major errors that contribute to these
types of crashes. Recommendations for both drivers and riders will be
highlighted.

11:35 – 11:55 AM Open Forum (open)
 What events or efforts are happening in your area?
 What topic would you like to hear about next meeting?

Noon Adjourn (Maurice Maness)

Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition Meeting Notes
Date: December 14, 2023,
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Texas A&M Transportation Institute Headquarters

Opening Remarks & Introductions (Maurice Maness) (00:35) 

Maurice Maness welcomed everyone to the meeting. Everyone introduced themselves. 

Task Force update (Jude Schexnyder) (17:35) 

Jude acknowledged the diverse attendees, especially the dealers in attendance as they are part of our focus for this year. To partner with dealerships, a survey was sent to 46 dealers thus far with 6 responses. We hope to have many more. All 6 were willing to participate in a focus group and information about or involvement in the TMSC. Surveys will inform what messages dealers are willing to help distribute as building better riders builds long term customers. Please let us know if you know of a dealership that we can reach out to, by contacting Cathy at [email protected].  

Announcements (Maurice Maness) (22:25) 

1. The 2024 TMSC Motorcycle Safety Awards Nominations are open. Visit the website https://www.looklearnlive.org/safety-awards/ for more information.
2. “Watch For Motorcycles” yard signs are available. Contact Cathy at [email protected] to coordinated ordering.
3. Riders and instructors needed for a focus group to pilot test instructor recruitment materials being developed. Contact Kim at [email protected] if you’re interested in participating. 
4. 7 new/updated TMSC members in the past 2 months. Invite others to join. All can sign up or update information on the website https://www.looklearnlive.org/coalition/.  
5. Next meeting TMSC meeting will be scheduled in March 2024. 

Statewide Motorist Awareness and Motorcyclist Safety Outreach Preview for 2024 (Cathy Brooks) (24:20) 

Cathy reviewed the activities that have been done and are planned for this year under the TxDOT grant. 

Events attended: 

• Lone Star Rally, Galveston, November 
• Tri-County Toy Run, Temple, December 

Events planned:

• Corpus Christi Home & Garden Show, February 
• Rio Grande Valley Home & Garden Show, McAllen, March 

Other planned activities: 

• Motorcyclist Safety Presentations for groups/clubs – based on the street survival presentation created by Jude. Contact Cathy at [email protected] if your group/club is interested. 
• TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialist Coalition presentations – Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, and Houston coalitions have agreed.  
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Motorcycle Safety Program Assessment (instead of Annual Forum) – NHTSA representative, Lacheryl Jones (rider) from Washington D.C. will bring in a panel of motorcyclist safety professionals from around the country to help us improve our program. 
• Social Media – Stephanie is creating some new stuff for our social media channels. If you don’t already, please follow, like, share, comment to help us reach more people around the state. 
• “Watch for Motorcycle” yard signs (632) are available. We would like to distribute through the TxDOT District TSS offices. Contact Cathy at [email protected] if you are interested in receiving signs.

“The Looked but Failed to See Motorcycle/Car Crash” (Dr. Dan Petterson) (35:00) 

Dan Petterson, Ed.D., CEO/President of SMARTER – The Skilled Motorcyclist Association – Responsible, Trained and Educated Riders, Inc., provided an introduction to the perception research that identifies the major errors that contribute to the “looked but failed to see motorcycle/car types of crashes.  He identified the Four Chances for Error that are connected to these types of crashes, the supporting research sources and the basics of the SMARTER developed search system aimed to lessen the chance these errors will take place. Recommendations for both drivers and riders were highlighted. He then fielded questions from the participants. (1:20:40) 

Visit www.smarter-usa.org, contact Dan at [email protected] or [email protected].  

Dr. Dan Petterson has an extensive background in both public K–12 and motorcyclist safety education. His individual work and his efforts as CEO of SMARTER has earned national recognition including in 2011 being selected as one of five individuals nationally to receive recognition by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for “Extraordinary Contributions to Motorcyclist Safety.” In 2021 he was selected by the Michigan Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission as the recipient of their highest award for long-term contributions and commitment to traffic safety. He has been, on behalf of SMARTER, gathering, reading and analyzing motorcyclist safety research for more than 15 years. 

Open Forum (open) (1:43:20) 

1. What motorcycle/motorcyclist safety events are happening in your area? 
2. What topics would you like to discuss in the next TMSC meeting? 
3. State updates in infrastructure improvements for motorcyclists 
4. State crash hot spots 
5. Construction Zones considerations for motorcyclists 

Comments: 

• Rumble strips reduce traction for motorcyclists 

• QR code for dealership survey 
•  Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation 

• New rules should be posted within the next week 
• New rules go into effect January 1st  
• Instructor training providers can begin the licensing process January 1st  
• Driver Education considerations for motorcyclists and other special situations will be considered and expressed to the Driver Education Advisory Committee 
• Do you like the in-person and virtual meeting format? YES!! 
• Next meeting in March 2024 

Adjourn (Maurice Maness) (2:04:35)