RIDIN' STEEL

NHTSA offers grant to fund motorcycle-only checkpoints

Contact Administrator Strickland immediately

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is offering federal funds that would expand the highly criticized practice of creating motorcycle-only checkpoints by law enforcement agencies.

Initially begun in New York State, the process involves setting-up checkpoints where only motorcycles are pulled over. Law enforcement officers then check for U.S. DOT-compliant helmets, legal exhaust systems, and compliance with licensing, registration and inspection regulations. The NHTSA program would also collect information on high-motorcycle-crash-incident areas and citations would be issued for any violations discovered.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has questioned the potential discriminatory and legal nature of this program and submitted a list of questions for clarification to the New York State Police. To date, New York authorities have not responded. The AMA has also sent a letter to Administrator Strickland urging him to suspend the grant program until questions have been addressed. To view AMA's letter, click here.

While law enforcement officials in New York defend the program as a safety measure to decrease motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities, there is no proof of its effectiveness. The practice has drawn the ire of motorcyclists both locally and nationally.

NHTSA is now seeking up to five other law enforcement agencies to participate in this practice and is offering $350,000 in federal funding.

The AMA believes public funding would better serve motorcyclists by applying it to the national motorcycle crash causation study that is currently underway. The primary source of motorcycle safety is in motorcycle crash prevention and NHTSA should focus on decreasing the likelihood of crashes in the first place. This is a sentiment supported by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and many of his colleagues in Congress through recently introduced H. Res. 1498. To urge your Representative to support this resolution, click here. The methods used in New York State remain highly suspect and no public money should be applied to promoting such a program without addressing questions from the motorcycling community.

Specifically, how do motorcycle-only safety checkpoints (MOSCs) increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do the selected states draw their authority to conduct MOSCs? Will “probable cause” be required to stop a motorcycle under the terms of this grant program? If so, what will constitute “probable cause?” What types of infractions were recorded by New York law enforcement officials at these checkpoints ? And, what criteria will be used to determine if the MOSCs are successful?

The AMA urges all riders to contact Administrator Strickland and request the grant offer be suspended until these questions have been addressed. Follow the “Take Action” option to send a pre-written e-mail directly to Administrator Strickland demanding no federal dollars be used to expand programs that discriminate against motorcyclists.

Take Action

1 Compose Message

Message Recipients:

David L. Strickland, Administrator

Delivery Method:

Email

Printed Letter

Subject:

Editable text:

(edit or add your own text - 8645 characters left)

As a motorcyclist and concerned taxpayer, I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to suspend offering the Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant (DTNH22-10-R-00386) until questions raised by the motorcycling community have been addressed.

Specifically, how do motorcycle-only safety checkpoints (MOSCs) increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do the selected states draw their authority to conduct MOSCs? Will “probable cause” be required to stop a motorcycle under the terms of this grant program? If so, what will constitute “probable cause?” What types of infractions were recorded by law enforcement officials in New York at these traffic stops? And, what criteria will be used to measure the success of the MOSCs?

Motorcyclists are better served by efforts that minimize injuries and fatalities by preventing crashes in the first place. The most efficient way of doing so is not through sporadic, discriminatory roadside checkpoints, but by mitigating crash causation.

The Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant is an unwarranted use of taxpayer funding that would only expand a heretofore unproven program. Please suspend the grant offering immediately until these important questions raised by the motorcycling community have been addressed.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Tip: Cutting-and-pasting? Save as plain text first.

Your Closing:

Your Name:

2 Sender Information

This system requires that you provide your name and contact information. This information will not be used for any purpose other than to identify you to the recipient.

Your Contact Information:

Prefix (required by some officials)

Select... Mr. Ms. Mrs. Miss Dr. Rev. Hon.

First *

Last *

Email *

Address *

City *

State *