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PLACING EDUCATION WHERE IT COUNTS
By
Dr. Sue Duggan
Motorcycle riding is not getting any safer. We need to begin
addressing motorcycle safety and awareness with children, as well as
with drivers, whether it is by car or truck and I need your help.
The number one cause of motorcycle crashes are drivers of
automobiles and trucks. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has
produced a DVD featuring teen drivers, mothers, and truck drivers,
portraying characters who are real people in real driving
situations. I believe this DVD should be placed statewide in the
hands of those who will use it.
I would like to put this DVD training material into the hands of all
159 Sheriff Department’s in the state of Georgia. Sheriff
departments are involved in schools with Junior Deputy (3rd
grade) and C.H.A.M.P.S. (Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods
Promoting Safety in 5th
grade) programs. Also, they could use this material for training
deputies on motorcycle awareness. Our total goal is $9,000.00, which
includes an Intersection Kit for all 159 counties, money for
consumables, and extra kits for large counties. To do this, I would
like to ask each ABATE of Georgia district to secure donations from
various sources such as rider clubs, civic organizations, motorcycle
dealers, motorcycle repair shops, motorcycle apparel stores, etc. We
have counties in districts 10, 12, and 14 that are closed and we
will need to cover the cost of the Intersection kits for these
counties. This is a Georgia A.B.A.T.E. state initiative and any
donation towards the purchase of the Intersection Kits would be
appreciated.
There is a possibility
of grant money being awarded for this purpose. Therefore, a separate
ABATE bank account for the sole purpose of educational funding will
be secured. Any monies sent to the state office for purchasing the
DVD’s should be marked for education. The address for the state
office is Post Office Box 116, Austell, Georgia, 30168. If you are
aware of any grant source, please contact Sue at
Education.director@abatega.org.
Educating others will not stop here. Just because we turn over
training materials to those who train others, doesn’t mean they will
automatically use it. We will have to follow up and be sure the
material is being used and the consumable material is being
replenished. It would help if each district would designate a person
who could work with me. Please ask your membership if anyone is
interested in education issues and send me the name (or names) and
contact information to the above email address and I will contact
them with further information.
I
want to thank each and every one of you for your interest regarding
motorcycle awareness. I have been talking to ABATE members around
the state, as well as our governmental agencies such as GOHS, and we
are all in agreement of getting the message of motorcycle safety
into the hands of children. Children teach parents. Remember who
told you to fasten your seat belt a million times? Teaching children
about motorcycle awareness will spread to their parents, even from
the back seat! Children are the drivers of the future and an
educated driver is a safe driver.
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