Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-29. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
H8566 2026 -- H 8566 ======== LC003182 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N PROCLAIMING MAY OF 2026 TO BE MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS MONTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Nardone, Solomon, Edwards, Shanley, Craven, and Caldwell Date Introduced: May 19, 2026 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Motorcycle Association was started in 1974 in West 2 Warwick, as a nonprofit motorcycle rights organization to protect the freedoms of riders in Rhode 3 Island through safety, education and legislation; and 4 WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Motorcycle Association has worked closely with 5 Governors, legislators and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to advance the 6 freedom of choice and the safety of motorcycle riders in Rhode Island with fair and equitable 7 solutions; and 8 WHEREAS, The theme for Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is Share the Road: 9 It s Everyone s Responsibility. This theme emphasizes that everyone, including drivers and 10 motorcyclists, has an important role to play in ensuring safe roads. The goal is to educate riders 11 on the importance of safe riding practices, defensive riding techniques and the need to wear 12 protective gear. The theme also urges all riders to obey traffic laws, to maintain their motorcycles 13 properly, to take motorcycle safety courses, to wear bright clothing and use lights to stay visible 14 to other motorists, to use defensive riding techniques, and urges drivers to give motorcycles 15 ample space; and 16 WHEREAS, Motorcycle riding is an economical and popular form of transportation 17 enjoyed by about eight percent (8%) of the American people. It provides a more efficient mode of 18 transportation than cars or trucks, uses up fewer resources, causes less wear and tear on our roads 19 and highways, and increases available parking spaces; and 1 WHEREAS, Motorcycle accidents are unfortunately a common occurrence, with 2 estimates suggesting that such fatal incidents occur approximately once every twelve minutes in 3 America and account for more than fifteen percent (15%) of all traffic fatalities, despite the fact 4 that only three percent (3%) of all registered vehicles are motorcycles; and 5 WHEREAS, Because motorcycles don’t have seat belts or airbags, and they are much 6 smaller than cars, motorcyclists are twenty-two times more likely to die in a crash than those 7 driving cars; and 8 WHEREAS, As of January 2023, the total number of public, personal, and commercial 9 motorcycles registered in the United States and the District of Columbia totaled approximately 10 8.8 million, with 28,376 registered in Rhode Island as of February 2024; and 11 WHEREAS, Data reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 12 (NHTSA) states that in 2023, 6,335 motorcyclists died in traffic accidents in the United States, 13 which is approximately seventeen motorcyclists killed per day; and 14 WHEREAS, Distracted driving poses one of the biggest dangers to other motorists, 15 especially motorcyclists. Distractions can be any activity that takes a driver s focus off the task of 16 driving, including eating and drinking, talking or texting on the phone, and numerous other 17 distractions, all of which pose serious dangers to the motorcycle driving public; and 18 WHEREAS, While there are no prescribed means to prevent motorcycle wrecks, greater 19 awareness of motorist safety and potential existing risks can arm riders with the knowledge they 20 need to help mitigate dangerous situations while on the road; now, therefore be it 21 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 22 proclaims May of 2026, to be Motorcycle Awareness Month in the State of Rhode Island, and 23 urges all motorists to avoid distracted driving; and be it further 24 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 25 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Motorcycle Association. ======== LC003182 ======== LC003182 - Page 2 of 2
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