Teaching Motorcycle Safety

Heather Peterson says one Sunday afternoon last fall her family's life was turned upside down. Her husband Jason, a competitive motorcycle racer, went on a ride with some friends. But he never came

Saturday, April 29th 2006, 5:55 pm

By: News On 6

Heather Peterson says one Sunday afternoon last fall her family's life was turned upside down. Her husband Jason, a competitive motorcycle racer, went on a ride with some friends. But he never came home.

Heather Peterson: "An oncoming truck was coming and it was a 93 Ford Ranger so it was kinda small truck and it hit the bike first and then him and it killed him."

Jason Peterson used to race at the Hallet Race Track. They have days specifically for motorcycles and they also talk alot about safety.

Scott Stephens with Hallet Race Track: "We're trying to teach them how to be safer on the motorcycle; how to control the motorcycle better."

Scott Stephens says Hallett Advanced Racer Training or HART is a day-long course on safety, held at the track about once a month.

Instead of Corvettes whipping around the track, it's just motorcycles, a chance to burn a little rubber and learn a few things.

Stephens had these words of caution he advises riders to use the buddy system, two bikes are harder for drivers to miss. He also says all riders should take some motorcycle training and above all wear full gear.

Scott Stephens: "we have riders go down here on the race track at over one hundred miles an hour and stand up and walk away because of the gear they're wearing these days."

Heather Peterson echoes those warnings but she also wants drivers to watchout for motorcycle riders, sharing the road. "Sometimes they're hard to see, but take an extra second and just look, same goes for motorcycles.

That extra moment could save a life.