The 2016–2021 Texas Strategic Action Plan for Motorcycles delivers an integrated approach to identify implementable strategies and action steps to make Texas roadways, infrastructure, drivers, and riders safer for the motorcycling community. The plan was developed over a 9-month period from October 2015–June 2016 during the completion of the Statewide Motorist Awareness and Motorcyclist Safety and Outreach Support project, which was funded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) (Project 2016-TTI-G-1YG-0030).
Several activities were completed in development of the plan. Activities included a review of motorcycle safety research and projects conducted in Texas since 2012, consideration of national and state-level strategic motorcycle safety plans and reports, analysis of motorcyclist fatality and injury crash data, evaluation of focus group data involving five motorcycle safety stakeholder populations, and analysis of survey data collected from motorcycle safety stakeholders. These activities culminated in the development of a list of potential countermeasures to improve motorcyclists’ safety that were evaluated and prioritized by motorcycle safety experts and advocates.
The five-year plan includes detailed strategies and action steps to reduce the number of motorcycle fatalities, injuries, and crashes on Texas roadways. It provides guidance to key stakeholders involved in improving motorcycle safety, including TxDOT, the Texas Department of Public Safety – Motorcycle/ATV Safety Unit (TxDPS MSU), the Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition (TMSC), peace officers, local agencies, motorcycle clubs/groups and independent riders, and motorcycle manufacturers and dealerships.
This is a dynamic plan, and as strategies are implemented, additional strategies can be identified, prioritized, and implemented. The goal of the plan is to focus limited funding and resources on areas with the greatest opportunity to reduce motorcycle fatalities, injuries, and crashes in Texas.