The 20-year-old annual RTW Day event promotes using motorcycles and scooters to commute to work. Such modes of transportation help reduce traffic and parking congestion, save on energy, and bring enjoyment.
Organizers expected that close to one million motorcycles would be involved in the commute on Monday, June 20, 2011. The Census Bureau estimates that about 300,000 individuals ride motorcycles to and from their jobs on a regular basis, so a million riders would triple that amount.
New products and programs are in the works to improve motorcycle riding safety, as reported in USA Today:
Virginia "Rider Alert" Program: This initiative promotes the use of stickers and cards that become helpful in an emergency situation. Bikers are supposed to attach stickers and cards to their helmets, both outside and inside. In the event of a crash, such attachments provide first response crews with crucial contact and medical information about the injured motorcyclist. Program creator Rob Lawrence of the Richmond, VA Ambulance Authority says that the stickers and cards are designed to speed medical response.
Airbags for Riders: Airbags for motorcycle riders are put into vests and jackets. If a biker is thrown from the motorcycle in a crash, the airbags are triggered by the pull of a cord attached to the motorcycle. Justin Mastalka, of Nevada, is a professional motorcycle racer who claims that an airbag prevented him from suffering a concussion in a recent accident.
