News release from Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs
Organized rides, safety demonstrations and an awareness rally will kick off the city’s inaugural Motorcycle Safety Awareness Week, which was officially designated as a city event in legislation sponsored by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs last year
Organized rides, safety demonstrations and an awareness rally will kick off the
city’s inaugural Motorcycle Safety Awareness Week, which was officially designated as
a city event in legislation sponsored by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs last year.
“As the beating heart of American motorcycle culture, it is only right that
Milwaukee should dedicate itself to protecting the men and women who ride,”
Alderwoman Coggs said. “Safety starts with the good practices of individual riders, but it
requires the attention of every motorist on the road.”
The legislation establishing the event was approved following moving testimony
from the family of Vinencia Dawson, who was killed in a motorcycle crash on June 30,
2013. Family and friends of Ms. Dawson testified on the resolution at committee and
were in attendance at the Common Council meeting when it was adopted.
The city’s official designation for the event runs from Monday, May 5 through
Friday, May 9, but local organizers have scheduled events that take place on May 3, 4,
and 10 as well. These include a memorial ride and bike blessing on May 10. Organizers
have posted a full schedule of events at www.motorcyclesafetyawareness.com
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, crashes in which
motorcycles have been involved have been on the rise in recent years. For the three-year
period from 2010 to 2012, there were 538 motorcycle crashes in Milwaukee—14 of them
fatal. 116 riders were killed in crashes on Wisconsin roads in 2012.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.