Montana Motorcycle Safety Advisory Committee
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Meeting Minutes
January 25, 2000
1:00 – 3:00 PM
Room 273 – Scott Hart Building
303 North Roberts Street
Helena, Montana
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Dal Smilie at 1:00 p.m. Present at the meeting were MMSAC members Anita Drews-Oppedahl, Michele Hand, Ken Radovich, and Dal Smilie. Also present were Roger Swearengen, MMRS Director from MSU-Northern; David Huff, Traffic Education Specialist from the Office of Public Instruction; Albert Goke, Governor’s Highway Safety Representative from the Montana Department of Transportation; and Ray Paige, Off-Highway Education Coordinator from the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
2. November 30, 1999 Meeting Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of November 30, 1999 were approved.
3. 2000 Training Season Update
An instructor update is scheduled for March 25th in Missoula. The topic of the update will be proper administration of the MRC:RSS Level II Skill Evaluation. The Level II Skill Evaluation is comparable in scope to the Alternate MOST skill test used by Montana Driver License Exam Stations as part of motorcycle endorsement testing. This update is part of a continuing effort to place testing by MMRS and Driver License Exam Stations on par with each other. Chief Instructor Carl Spurgeon from the MSF national staff will conduct the update.
Two more training motorcycles have been purchased from dealers that support MMRS by providing dealer-loan motorcycles. MMRS now owns 47 training motorcycles. MMRS has ordered four 22’ enclosed trailers for transportation and storage of training motorcycles at sites around the state.
Range painting is scheduled at most sites this spring. An agreement has been reached to establish a new training site at MSU-Bozeman and is awaiting range approval documents. The Butte site will re-open at the Butte Civic Center. MMRS continues to seek a site in Glendive that will permit a painted range.
Five applications have been received for the Instructor Preparation class scheduled for May 11-14 and 18-20, 2000 in Great Falls. MSF will provide two of its national staff trainers to conduct the May 2000 IP at no cost to MMRS .
4. MSF Professional Development Workshop
Ken Radovich recently attended a professional development workshop in Las Vegas sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. The workshop presented much of MSF’s current thinking on teaching techniques. The new presentation style appears to be modeled after that used by MSF’s DirtBike School.
5. DOJ/MMRS Cooperative Driver Testing Program Agreement
The Department of Justice and MMRS have established a formal agreement for a Cooperative Driver Testing Program. As permitted by 61-5-110 MCA, the Department of Justice may certify as a CDTP the motorcycle safety course approved by the Board of Regents that employs approved instructors of motorcycle safety training. DOJ has certified the MRC:RSS classes offered by MMRS as a CDTP for the riding skill portion of the license examination for a motorcycle endorsement.
6. Plan for the Future of Motorcycle Safety in Montana
6.1. Mission
The Committee reviewed its progress and revised the mission, constituents, and target groups as follows to emphasize the improvement of safety among street riders in general:
“The primary mission of MMRS is to train motorcyclists to be safer street riders, consistent with the statutory mandate to offer training “designed to teach motorcyclists how to safely operate their vehicles. The secondary missions of MMRS are: a) to train experienced riders and riders re-entering the sport; and b) to promote motorcycle rider safety jointly with the Department of Justice.”
6.2. Approach
The Committee discussed at length the approach that MMRS should take to delivering training classes to emphasize a “life-long learning” approach as follows:
“Training motorcyclists to be safer street riders requires a life-long learning approach to acquiring and improving skills. MMRS should offer training classes that provide both initial instruction and refresher training on street motorcycle operation.”
6.3. Licensing
The Committee discussed the role of licensing in “life-long learning” and improving safe riding habits.
“Proper rider licensing is part of life-long learning and improvement of safe riding habits. MMRS and DOJ should maintain and continue to improve the cooperative driver testing program as a means of encouraging new riders to improve their riding skills. In addition, MMRS and DOJ should consider ways to bring unendorsed experienced riders into proper licensing through training classes appropriate for their more advanced skill level.”
6.4. Constituents and Target Groups
“The primary constituents of MMRS training are the students who take rider safety training classes. The secondary constituents are (in order of importance): a) family members of students (particularly spouses of adult riders and parents of young riders); b) motorcycle rider groups; and c) motorcyclists in general who pay the motorcycle vehicle and endorsement fees that partially support MMRS .”
“MMRS should make special efforts to recruit students who are very young (15-17) or young adults (18-24). In addition, MMRS should make special efforts to provide training available to students in rural areas far from training centers.”
6.5. Program Delivery
The Committee discussed how to best deliver training throughout the state in order to get the “biggest bang for the buck”. Training sites in large towns can train many students in frequent classes at a very economical cost. Providing training in rural areas is relatively expensive, is equipment and instructor intensive, and reaches relatively few students.
“MMRS should attempt to train as many motorcyclists as possible in order to reduce motorcycle accidents and fatalities. Limited resources require MMRS to train riders in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. MMRS should develop a limited mobile training capability to provide training at itinerant training sites in rural areas, particularly those far from established training sites.”
6.6. Off-Road Rider Training
The Committee discussed the role that off-road rider training can play in developing safe and responsible riding and driving habits, particularly among very young (6-14) riders. The Committee recommended that MMRS work with MSF to bring the DirtBike School to Montana.
7. Next Meeting
The MMSAC will meet again on Tuesday, April 18th at 1:00 p.m. in Helena. This meeting will pick up where the discussion left off and consider the perspective of the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative on target groups, further information on off-highway motorcycle training, and service delivery options.
8. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.
