 |
 |
|
|
|
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
 |
|||
 |
 |
||
|
||||
 |
The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center is a total motorcycle safety package. In addition to providing safety training and education, the MMSC also tests and licenses riders, provides free safety materials, broadcasts safety messages in print and on the airwaves, works with a citizen’s advisory committee, and partners with public and private entities to make motorcycling safer for everyone.
The MMSC's History and Mission In 1982, the Minnesota legislature passed a law which established a motorcycle safety program, and the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Program (MMSP) was created in 1983. It was one of the first state programs to take a comprehensive approach to motorcycle safety, combining rider training, public information and education, motorcycle testing and licensing, and research. The law also created the Motorcycle Safety Fund, a dedicated fund that can be used solely for the MMSP. A portion of the money paid by Minnesota motorcyclists for instruction permits, license endorsements, and renewals goes directly to the program that serves Minnesota motorcyclists. (That's why most of the materials provided by MMSP include the tag line: "Paid for by Minnesota motorcyclists.") Currently, 65 percent of the yearly budget for the Motorcycle Safety Fund goes to rider training and 30 - 35 percent is used for public information and education activities. The law specified that no more than five percent of the fund could be used for administration. The mission of MMSP is to reduce motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities. Since the program's beginning, Minnesota has seen a dramatic decrease in motorcycle deaths. In 1980, before implementation of MMSP, a record high of 121 motorcyclists died in crashes. In 1997, motorcycle fatalities reached a record low of 24. Motorcycle crashes and injuries have been cut in half, from around 2,500 per year to 1,200. The MMSP - and the Minnesota motorcyclists who help pay for the program - are proud of this accomplishment. The program has grown steadily since its inception in 1983, but without any real identity of its own. In 1996, program coordinators at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety felt the program needed a stronger identity that better reflected the mission, goals and activities of the MMSP. To achieve this, the MMSP was renamed the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center, or MMSC. A trademarked logo was developed by Martin Williams Advertising Agency in Minneapolis. The program is structured into two divisions: rider training and public relations. The Rider Training Division conducts all of the motorcycle training and riding courses, evening testing, and third-party licensing. They also coordinate the annual Motorcycle Safety Conference and Law Enforcement Conference. The Public Relations Division coordinates all the promotional activities, such as the annual Washout event, the annual public information and education campaign, and the motorcycle safety display booth. The Public Relations Division also develops and prints all public education materials. MMSC Organization Under Minnesota law, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) administers the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center. The MMSC is one of many programs managed by the DPS Office of Traffic Safety. The Office of Traffic Safety project coordinator, Bill Shaffer, is responsible for budgeting, preparing contracts, and advising the MMSC rider training and public relations staff on their various activities. The MMSC Rider Training Division is offered through the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. The basic and experienced rider courses are conducted using curriculum and materials developed by the MSF. The MMSC is a mobile rider training program, using about 20 trailers and 300 training motorcycles at 22 course sites throughout Minnesota. DPS staff coordinate the course sites, trailers, motorcycles, and more than 180 MSF-certified “RiderCoaches” to conduct more than 900 motorcycle safety courses every riding season. Additionally, the MMSC Rider Training Division coordinates the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) Evening Testing program, instructor recruitment and training, motorcycle purchase, repair, and maintenance, scholarships for rider training, and helps coordinate motorcycle safety booth exhibits at the State Fair, International Motorcycle Show, etc. The Rider Training Division receives 60 percent of the yearly income of the Motorcycle Safety Fund, or approximately $450,000 a year. The MMSC Public Relations Division is operated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Communications. Pat Hahn administers an annual budget of more than $250,000 for public information and education efforts. Pat coordinates promotional activities, such as the annual Washout event during Motorcycle Safety Month (May), the annual public information and education campaigns, and the motorcycle safety display booth. The Public Relations Division also develops and prints all motorist awareness and public education materials, (including the Minnesota Rider Review), heads up media relations, and fills information and materials requests from clubs, dealers, law-enforcement organizations, and other interested parties. Another DPS office, that of Driver and Vehicle Services, provides assistance with issues involving motorcycle testing and licensing. Several staff members in DVS have worked with the MMSC to increase the number of licensed riders and to help ensure that testing is thorough but not inconvenient for motorcyclists. The phone numbers, addresses, and E-mail addresses of MMSC staff are: - Seasonal Receptionists - Instructors (118 statewide) Bill Shaffer, Project Coordinator Pat Hahn, Public Relations/Communications Specialist Statistics on Motorcycling in Minnesota The annual crash and injury statistics show both the effectiveness of the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center and the continuing need for a comprehensive program. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety publishes "Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts," which includes motorcycle crash statistics. You can view these on the Web at: |
   
|
||
 |
||||
|
|
 Home | Rider Training & Testing | Safety Tips | Ad Campaign | Contact Us | Site Map
Advisory Committee | Statistics | Who's Who in Minnesota | Volunteers |
Please direct comments and suggestions to: |
||
|
|
|
|
|