August 2015

SAFETY REPORT August 2015 IN THIS REPORT –Motorcycle helmets updateMotorcycles first aid training2015 Motorcycle Safety WeekRider trainingAMC ConferenceMOTORCYCLE HELMETS UPDATEAs many of you would already know Victoria allowed the use of helmets that meet the European standard ECE 22.05 without the need for retesting in Australia from early August, this follows from the same legislation in Queensland in January. I have contacted the members of the W.A. Motorcycle Safety Advisory Group asking what our position in W.A. is. Main Roads, Department of Transport and Road Safety Commission have indicated that they do not have any objections and believe that we should have uniform helmet regulation throughout Australia. I will be pursuing this at our next formal meeting in early September. The downside of this is that the federal legislation does not allow the sale of any helmets in Australia that do not meet Australian Standard AS 1698 which means you are forced to by on line. This is something we don’t support because you should never buy a helmet you have not had on your head to check for fit and online you can’t always trust who you are buying the helmet off. Rejected helmets have appeared in Australia that have been bought on line. The other alternative is to buy ECE 22.05 approved helmet if you are overseas. (New Zealand allows these helmets to be sold in motorcycle shops. As far as the road block put up by the ACCC that does not currently allow ECE 22.05 helmets to be sold in Australia I can tell you the Australian Motorcycle Councils, Motorcycle Helmets Committee are working hard to get this changed (I am a member of this Committee) I also believe if we have 3, 4 or 5 states allowing the use of these helmets then the federal government will have no choice but the change the legislation to allow the sale in Australia of helmets that reach this excellent international standard for motorcycle helmets. I will keep you informed of developments.MOTORCYCLE FIRST AID COURSEI have been contacted by Tracy Lee Hughes from First Aid for Motorcyclists who I met earlier this year at a Motorcycle Safety Forum in Wodonga Victoria. She is keen to bring their course to Western Australia and conduct half day courses in Perth, Bunbury and Albany. These are excellent courses designed by motorcycle riders for motorcycle riders who understand the particular need of motorcyclists. Check out their flier on our website or our Facebook page or have a look at their website www.firstaidformotorcyclists.com.au I will keep in touch with Tracy and let you know the dates once they are locked in.2015 MOTORCYCLE SAFETY WEEKThis year’s Motorcycle Safety Week will run from October 30^th – November 7^th the launch will be the 2015 Perth Motorcycle and Scooter Show at Claremont Showgrounds, we will have our MRA rider safety stand for all 3 days and the charity ride to the show will be led by Danny Green and his campaign against coward one punch attacks. We will hold a ride your motorcycle to work day and breakfast in the city on Wednesday 4^th November. We anticipate having a reserved area in the Perth CBD for motorcycles and are working with the Perth City Council. At the end of the week we will be hosting a motorcycle safety forum for all interested motorcyclist to attend. We will have guest speakers from the field of road engineering for motorcyclist and establishing a 5 star rating for motorcycle clothing. All attendees will have an opportunity to raise issues through group workshops. We will also have completed the motorcycle safety videos by then and will launch them along with other safety posters and literature. This is still a work in progress so I will keep you informed. RIDER TRAININGI have been in talks with our new Committee members Dale and Nic Hill from On Yer Bike Rider Education on running regular rider training days by combining the current Ride Right Course with one they are developing. This course will be a combination of theory and practical lessons designed to improve your riding skill and safety. We hope to hold the first one in October and will advertise the dates.AMC CONFERENCE CANBERRAI recently attended the annual Australian Motorcycle Council (AMC) in Canberra which was also attended by delegates from every Motorcycle Associations and Motorcycle Councils from every Australian state and territory other than Northern Territory although we did get a annual report from the Northern Territory. This year the conference lasted for 2 full days and I found the work and information that we all shared to be invaluable with emphasis on helmets, protective clothing, training, and infrastructure. There is a more detailed report in this issue of the Edge. Please contact me if you require further information. Dave WrightPresident/Road Safety OfficerMotorcycle Riders Association of W.A. Inc.Email- davmar08@bigpond.com Phone 0418 954 424RIDE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.