WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Co-Chair of the Senate Motorcycle Caucus, introduced the Motorcycle Safety Awareness Act of 2025 to expand motorcycle safety education at Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) facilities throughout the United States.
“I’ve always said, there’s no better way to get from point A to point B than on a motorcycle. Yet, motorcyclists unfortunately have one of the highest risks of fatal injury among all motor vehicle users. Both drivers and motorcyclists need to be equipped with the educational tools to ensure safety on our roads,” said Senator Peters. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to help save lives, raise awareness about the presence of motorcyclists on our roads, and ensure safer travel for all Americans.”
Peters introduced this legislation with fellow Senate Motorcycle Caucus Co-Chair, U.S. Senator Joni Ernest (R-IA). The legislation has also received endorsements from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Motorcycle Industry Council.
“Ensuring state-specific motorcycle laws, awareness, and principles of sharing the road are part of drivers’ education will benefit all road users. Motorcycle crashes and fatalities are on the rise among the youngest riders, and those crashes frequently involve young automobile drivers who accidentally turn left in front of motorcycles or execute improper lane changes. This foundational drivers ed change will go a long way to addressing that. We thank Senator Peters and Senator Ernst for this thoughtful and necessary legislation,” said Scott Schloegel, Senior Vice President Government Relations, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Motorcycle Industry Council.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 6,335 motorcyclists were killed in 2023, accounting for 15 percent of all traffic fatalities. This is the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities on record since the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) began data collection in 1975. Peters’ legislation would help address this problem by requiring states to include motorcycle safety and awareness materials in driver education and licensing exams in order to receive funds for highway safety programs.
Senator Peters has been a dedicated advocate for motorcyclists and their safety in the U.S. Senate. In May, the Senate passed his bipartisan resolution that designated May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, promoting safe practices for the millions of motorcycle riders across America. Further, Peters has worked to extend the Motorcyclist Advisory Councilwithin the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), enabling the DOT to continue receiving insight from motorcyclists and key motorcycle stakeholders when crafting national policy decisions. In his free time, Peters is an avid motorcycle enthusiast and proudly leads annual motorcycle tours throughout the state of Michigan.
The text of the legislation can be found here.
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