Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition Meeting

March’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 Other Updates
 2024 TMSC Motorcycle Safety Awards Nominations
 NHTSA Assessment Kick-Off next week

10:45 – 11:45 AM Guest Speakers: Jane Lundquist (TxDOT) and Nathan Schulz (TTI) will talk about the latest developments in designing roadway infrastructure with the safety of motorcyclists in mind.

11:45 – 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: March 28, 2024,
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Texas A&M Transportation Institute Headquarters

OPENING REMARKS & INTRODUCTIONS (MAURICE MANESS) 

Maurice Maness welcomed everyone to the meeting. The meeting started late due to technical difficulties, so introductions were skipped.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Maurice announced the meeting was being recorded. Nothing new to report. 

TASK FORCE UPDATE (JUDE SCHEXNYDER) 

Jude provided thanks to those who attended Task Force Meeting. If you missed the meeting, refer to Laura Higgins ([email protected]) for more information regarding meeting details.  

• Task force meeting discussed major categories: 

• • Outreach messages and Themes: 

• • • Training and Licensing: Emphasize need for training and licensing, guide on obtaining a license. 
    • Helmet and Gear: Importance of wearing helmets, concerns about grading, DOT standards. “You have to try the helmet on!” 
    • TDLR Website Access and Data Usage. 
    • Financial Penalty for riding unlicensed: Consider impounding bikes, promote training. 

• • Supporting Materials 

• • • Social media, paper, display items, window cling. 
    • Focus on younger riders: activity book, coloring book, etc.  
    • Utilize useful items for printing. 

• • Dealership Distribution  

• • • Focus on involving dealerships. 
    • Influence on licensing and training. 
    • COMP test for licensed customers. 
    • Finding dealership champions. 
    • Texas Moto Dealership conference. 

• • Other Ideas and Comments 

• • • Driving schools’ role in motorcycle info dissemination. 
    • Cody Stewart’s project: Unlicensed to Ride 
    • Social media videos on rider tips. 
    • Supporting dealerships in addressing alcohol at events. 
    • Promoting events such as ride your bike to work day (Event in June) 
    • Police escorts for safety. 
    • Cathy Brooks ([email protected]): 25 Texas Safety Specialists (TSS) districts’ event attendance requirement for safety promotion. Contact Cathy if you’re interested in connecting with your districts’ TSS.

Update

• Don’t forget, 2024 TMSC Safety Awards are open until April 15th. Get these done ASAP! (https://tti.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aW4c7nruTF7xyw6)  
• TSS Meetings Coming Up 

• • Cathy Brooks will be in San Angelo on May 2nd, El Paso via teams in May and in Dallas in June. 

• NHTSA Assessment kicks off Week of April 1st. 

• • Looking for subject experts (trauma, law enforcement, legislature, motorcycle groups, motorcycle trainers, motorcycle schools, etc.) to help with assessment to promote motorcycle safety. 

GUEST PRESENTATIONS

Jane Lundquist and Nathan Schulz Presentation on Latest developments in designing roadway infrastructure with safety of motorcyclists in mind. 

Jane Lundquist: 

• Motorcycle Fatalities: 

• • Significant increase since the 90s, highest since 1975. 
  • Supersized vehicles (F250’s, etc.) posing risks, like a moving “brick wall.” 

• Motorcycle Advisory Council (MAC) Infrastructure Issues: 

• • Addressing barrier, roadway, architecture designs 

• MAC Identified Problems: 

• • Preventing motorcycle collisions with barriers/designs. 

• TxDOT Initiatives: 

• • Bridge Division designing nets for concrete barriers. 
  • Researching flexible metal beam guard fences. 

• Road Design Recommendations: 

• • Inclusion of motorcycles in design manuals. 

• Pavement Design: 

• • Emphasizing high friction surface treatments. 

• Safety Tips: 

• • Importance of helmet and pre-ride checks. 

• Call to Action: 

• • URL for motorcycle stats provided:  
  • Support for #EndTheStreakTX campaign. 

Nathan Schulz: 

• Roadside Hardware Design Considerations for Motorcyclists: 

• • Future helmet testing plans on both DOT and European Standards 
  • Higher fatality rates for motorcyclists in guardrail collisions. 

• • • 40% Motorcycle fatalities 
    • 31% Car Fatalities 

• Challenges and Solutions: 

• • When designing barriers or hardware – Typically crash testing occurs with large and small size vehicles (trucks and small compact cars). So, what needs to change to be able to conduct these tests with motorcycles? 

• • • Adapting existing designs for motorcycle safety. 
    • Identifying injury mechanisms and risks. 

• Development Process: 

• • Lack of standards for motorcycle crash tests. There are no real guidance/standards for motorcycle design hardware crash tests. 
  • Proposal for design concepts and simulations. 

• Questions and Discussions: 

• • Exploring alternative materials for safety barriers. 
  • Assessment of energy dissipation and injury mitigation. 
  • Simulation vs. real-life test outcomes. 
  • Considerations for racetrack accidents and simulations’ accuracy. 

OPEN FORUM (OPEN)

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. Reminder: Award nominations are due April 15th! 
4. Isolation and Emergency Locators: Discussions occurring with motorcycle groups about why riders would carry these on their person or bike. Nikki Regna mentioned her insurance group just launched a new emergency alert system that can help combat this.
5. Cody Stewart ([email protected]): Unlicensed to Ride looking for riders to take a paid survey. 

ADJOURN (MAURICE MANESS)