6/18/2008
Media Advisory: Motor scooter use rises on Idaho highways and roads
Media opportunity (Reminder): Law enforcement officers, motorcycle training experts and motorcycle safety professionals will be available Thursday (June 19) from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in front of Scooters of Boise, 701 Fulton St., to talk with media and answer questions about the growing number of motor scooters in Idaho and highway safety concerns.
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BOISE - Warm weather and soaring gasoline prices have more people parking their cars and trucks at home and trying motor scooters as a less expensive means to commute to work, shopping and to complete other daily tasks.
Many recent scooter buyers are new to riding so they have little experience with maneuvering the small vehicles through traffic. Often they do not wear proper safety gear and fail to understand the risks of riding two-wheeled vehicles.
Members of the Idaho State Police, Boise Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Idaho STAR motorcycle training program and the Idaho Transportation Department's Office of Highway Operations and Safety will be available to talk with interested media about scooter-related highway safety issues from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday (June 19) in front of Scooters of Boise.
- Automobile drivers need to know that more scooters are appearing on the state's highways and roads. Some new scooter owners may ride erratically and are not always predictable in their movements.
- Motor scooters are smaller and much harder to see than larger motorcycles. Many new riders have not purchased bright riding cloths, flashing headlights or colorful helmets that help other drivers see them.
- New scooter owners need to understand the risks they incur while riding. It is not carefree riding and crashes may occur.
- Scooter riders need to wear sufficient safety gear whenever they ride. These riders, like all motorcycle riders, should protect their heads with approved helmets.
- All scooter riders need to take a rider's training course like the one offered through Idaho's STAR program and receive a motorcycle endorsement.
The goal of this media outreach effort is to encourage behaviors by drivers and riders that will reduce the number and severity of motor scooter crashes.