National Ride to Work Day - June 21, 2021
Share the Road with Motorcycles
In 2019, nationally, there were 5,014 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes, a decrease from 2018 (5,038). These deaths accounted for 14% of the total highway fatalities that year.
Even the smallest momentary lapse in a vehicle driver’s awareness can result in the death of an unseen motorcyclist.
While motorcycling offers riders a sense of freedom, and a chance to reduce their carbon footprint, riding a motorcycle doesn’t offer the structural protection that a car does to keep riders safe in the event of an accident. That’s why motorcyclists need to get special rider training, and wear special gear to protect their body and make them more visible to other road users.
If you're ever in a serious motorcycle crash, the best hope you have for protecting your brain is by wearing a DOT-compliant motorcycle helmet. Motorcycle operators and their passengers who wear helmets increase their chance of survival significantly over non-helmet wearers.
More information can be found at www.NHTSA.gov.
Our Mission Statement
Achieve progress “Toward Zero Deaths” by reducing the number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities on Vermont's roads and to provide highway safety data and fact-based analyses that will assist communities and safety advocates in implementing effective programs that will change high-risk driving behavior and increase safety on our streets and highways.
Where We Are Located
The Vermont State Highway Safety Office is located within the Agency of Transportation's Highway’s Division, Office of Operations and Safety Bureau, Dill Building, Unit A, 2178 Airport Road, Barre, VT 05641.
What We Do
The Vermont State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) awards federal highway safety grant funds to local, state and non-profit agencies for projects to improve highway safety and reduce deaths and serious injuries due to crashes. The SHSO is also involved with the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance (VHSA) which has allowed us to build upon a network of highway safety professionals, working in collaboration to increase highway safety through these federally funded programs.
The SHSO has an in-house staff of three Program Coordinators with specific subject matter areas of expertise, to include Occupant Protection, Distracted Driving, Impaired Driving, Law Enforcement (DUI and OP Enforcement) and Education Outreach programs. The staff of the SHSO manages state highway safety grant funds by providing guidance, oversight and monitoring for our partners.
The programs administered through the SHSO are federally funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Our programs are defined and approved each year in the SHSO Highway Safety Plan (HSP) and align with the State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Through these plans, we analyze data, identify problems, define emphasis areas, and set goals in order to administer funds to programs in a responsible manner in accordance with federal guidelines.
The Vermont State Highway Safety Office programs are designed to educate drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists about highway safety. Our programs employ the use of countermeasures that focus primarily on the modification of driver’s behavior and attitude.
