MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS MONTH

104th Regular Session Introduced by Diane Blair-Sherlock and 12 co-sponsors

Designates an annual Motorcycle Awareness Month to promote rider safety, visibility, and roadway awareness across Illinois.

Added Co-Sponsor Rep. David Friess

Bill Summary: HR 926 (104th Illinois General Assembly) – Motorcycle Awareness Month

Purpose and Intent

Establishes an annual recognition project to designate a specific month as Motorcycle Awareness Month in Illinois.

Aims to promote safety, visibility, and awareness among drivers and riders, potentially reducing motorcycle-related crashes and injuries.

Key Provisions and Changes

Designation: Creates an official recognition period—Motorcycle Awareness Month—within the state, to be observed statewide.

Activities and Observance: Encourages educational and public outreach activities during the designated month. This may include organizing rider safety programs, awareness campaigns, and partnerships with law enforcement, rider organizations, and safety advocates.

Proclamations and Promotion: Allows state government and relevant agencies to issue proclamations and coordinate messaging to highlight motorcycle safety, rider visibility, and shared responsibility on roadways.

Education and Outreach Focus: Emphasizes increasing awareness among motorists about motorcycle operations, including safe driving practices, lane positioning, signaling, and the importance of yielding to motorcycles.

Who or What Is Affected

Motorcyclists and riding communities: Encouraged to participate in awareness events and safety training.

General driving public in Illinois: Targeted through awareness campaigns to improve recognition of motorcycles and safe sharing of roadways.

State agencies and local governments: Authorized or encouraged to participate in observance activities, issue proclamations, and support program dissemination.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

The bill designates a recurring annual observance (Motorcycle Awareness Month). The exact month may be specified in the final text or by administrative rule/recognition, but the concept is an annual recurring designation.

Encourages coordination among state agencies, law enforcement, safety organizations, and the public, though it does not appear to mandate punitive measures or funding beyond authorization for observance efforts.

Likely requires no new permanent statutory program funding; any activities would be conducted within existing agency capabilities or through partnerships and partnerships’ voluntary efforts, unless the bill specifies appropriations (not indicated in the provided summary).

Potential Impact

increased visibility and awareness of motorcycle safety issues

potential reduction in motorcycle-vehicle crashes and injuries due to heightened driver awareness

strengthened collaboration between riders, law enforcement, and safety organizations

provides a formal, recurring framework for safety education and public outreach in Illinois

Notes

The bill lists a broad group of co-sponsors, indicating cross-party or broad support for the awareness objective.

Specific month designation, exact language, and any fiscal implications would be clarified in the final bill text and any associated fiscal notes or gubernatorial actions.