May is Motorcycle Awareness Month

SERVICE N.S./MUNICIPAL RELATIONS--May is Motorcycle Awareness Month

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Nova Scotia.

This is the third year that the Nova Scotia government has recognized Motorcycle Awareness Month as a way to encourage riders to get proper training in the operation of their vehicles.

"Learning to ride a motorcycle safely reduces the risk of injury for everyone on the roads," said Peter Christie, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations. "Improving vehicle and driver safety is a priority of this government."

In 2002-2003, the Registry of Motor Vehicles registered 13,262 motorcycles, a 19.5 per cent increase over the previous year. Between 1997 and 2002, the province also recorded a 10 per cent increase in the number of people licensed to ride a motorcycle. Even though the popularity of the vehicles has risen, the fatality rate associated with motorcycle use remained the same at five deaths per year.

"The Nova Scotia Safety Council offers motorcycle training programs in many centres across the province," said Noel Facey, traffic safety coordinator for the Nova Scotia Safety Council. "Every year, 800 to 1,000 people complete our program, learning how to drive safely, and how to avoid collisions and fatalities."

"Nova Scotia is one of the few jurisdictions in Canada where a driver can receive a motorcycle licence upon completion of a program like those offered by the safety council," said Mr. Christie.