You Looked, But Did You See? Motorcycle Awareness Month
This blog was written by SADD National Leader Rebecca Greenfield as part of her National Leadership Programme project. For Motorcycle Awareness Month, Rebecca explores why motorcycle safety is something every road user has a role in and why taking a second look could make all the difference.
You looked, but did you see?
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” - Benjamin Franklin. Franklin’s quote regarded fire safety, and although he died in 1790, while motorcycles were invented in 1885, this quote transfers to the context of motorcycle safety, and I am sure Mr Franklin would agree. Taking precautions to stop a crash before it happens, even if an accident may not happen at all, is much easier than dealing with the aftermath and damage of a situation later.
September is Motorcycle Awareness Month in New Zealand. While we should always be aware of motorcycles on our roads, September is a month designed to remind us to take the time to stop, think and pay special attention to the riding community and embrace the riders.
In my time on the SADD National Leadership team, my project has been to create resources for SADD to put on their website to make motorcycle safety more accessible and recognised across schools in Aotearoa. At school, I’ve noticed we always get education about being a safer driver, and we see people driving their cars everywhere, but we don’t tend to see that same education and representation for motorcycle users.
Motorcycle Awareness Month is so important because motorbikes are smaller than other vehicles, and a rider is directly exposed to the environment. Motorcycle safety is not just about riders doing what they can to stay safe. Motorcycle safety is important for all road users so they know how to respond to riders and make our roads safer for everybody. Because you can take a look for hazards and everything on the road. But did you see everything that was really there? You can look in your mirrors and miss the motorcycle behind you. You can go to switch lanes without seeing the smaller vehicle right in your blind spot. You should not just look, but look again.
While drivers should be making the steps to notice motorcycle users, it is also important that riders take steps to prevent the possibility of harm in the case of an accident - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The most important thing you can do as a rider is to wear the correct protective gear. If an accident were to happen, your first line of protection is what you are wearing. The New Zealand Transport Agency has a webpage on the correct gear which will be linked at the bottom of this page.
Ride Forever is a course where you can build your confidence and skills on the road with the help of experienced riders and trainers. There are courses no matter where you are in your riding journey; whether you are on your way to getting a license, or have held your full license for a long time, there are Ride Forever courses available which can suit your abilities and what you want to achieve. And from now until December 31st 2026, riders can get up to 9 hours free for Bronze, Silver, and Gold courses, or 4 hours for the Scooter Skills or Motorbike Skills Course.
Remember - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you do to protect and educate yourself, the safer our roads will be.
Happy Motorcycle Awareness Month!
Are you wearing the correct gear?
https://nzta.govt.nz/driving-skills/learn-to-drive/roadcode/motorcycle-code/you-and-your-motorcycle/wearing-the-right-gear
Ride Forever Courses:
https://www.rideforever.co.nz/
More info on motorcycle safety and awareness:
www.sadd.org.nz/motorcycle-safety