• IIHS Studies Distracted Driving

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released details of a recent study on driver behavior when using vehicles with levels of automation. The study, done in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab, should raise the eyebrows of those charged with establishing rules for this new technology (study linked below).

This initial statement from the IIHS encapsulates what many have witnessed on the road, “Drivers are more likely to multitask when using partial automation, and some manage to do so even while playing by the rules of the system’s attention requirements.” The study points to how some drivers have “mastered” the ability to prevent warnings of inactivity and thus negate the intended safeguards.

The analysis included different vehicle types and driver groups, yet in every case, drivers engaged in distracting activities more often when using the technology than while driving without it. These results clearly indicate that drivers have a false sense of security when using automated driving features.

Drivers are responsible for their actions when behind the wheel. However, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) remains troubled by marketing campaigns and narratives that intentionally or unintentionally create an overconfidence in this technology. The MRF has and will continue to raise these concerns with lawmakers and policymakers in Congress and at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Distracted driving costs lives! If this new technology encourages increased distracted driving, that is unacceptable. The MRF agrees with IIHS Senior Research Scientist Alexandra Mueller, “Better safeguards are needed to ensure that the behavior change actually translates to more attentive driving.”

Musical Chair(people)

With Congress back in town after an extended summer recess, conversations about who will be in charge come 2025 are swirling. While the Presidential contest is the main event, the narrow margins in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House also have huge implications.

The party with the majority of seats in Congress holds control of Congressional committees. So, the party with more seats also picks the chairs of the committees. Chairs set the committee agenda, decide what bills to consider and what bills to hold hearings on. Two key committees the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) focuses on, the House Energy and Commerce and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, face leadership changes.

If Republicans hold the House, the Energy & Commerce Committee will have a new head. That’s because current Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State is retiring. Her retirement leaves open the leadership of one of the most powerful committees in Congress. If the Democrats take the House, former Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey will likely take the gavel back. This committee has jurisdiction over the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Right to Repair bills, so its actions significantly impact bikers.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also may see a leadership change. Current Chair Sam Graves of Missouri faces a 6-year term limit Republicans place on committee heads. Chairman Graves is considering seeking a waiver to remain the top Republican on the committee, but it is unclear if he will receive that extension. If he is unsuccessful, several other committee Republicans have announced their plans to jump in the race. On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington State is the odds-on favorite to lead the Democrats. With a new highway bill on the horizon, the MRF is watching this race with great interest.

Congress is not a static body. Lawmakers come and go, and their power ebbs and flows. While the cast of characters is ever-changing, the MRF is here to stay. That is why the MRF has boots on the ground in D.C. to be your voice, regardless of who has the reins of power.

MRF Says Protect

Right To Repair

Congress has been on vacation for seven (7) weeks, but the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) never takes a vacation; we will not stop fighting for the rights of bikers.

This week, Kirk “Hardtail” Willard, President of the MRF, sent a letter to the Chairwoman of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce regarding “Right to Repair.” In the letter, the MRF requested that H.R. 906, known as the REPAIR ACT, move out of committee and be considered by the full House of Representatives (link to letter below).

In November 2023, the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce advanced the bill, yet eleven (11) months later, the bill remains stuck in limbo.

Our freedom to repair, modify and work on our bikes is a fundamental part of who we are as bikers. The MRF will not stop fighting for bikers, aftermarket parts dealers and the independent shops that support our lifestyles.

It is time Congress takes action!