Idaho motorcyclists will rally Saturday, May 6 at the Capitol to celebrate Motorcycle Awareness Month and the state's outstanding safety record.

The event is sponsored by the Idaho Coalition for Motorcycle Safety in cooperation with the Skills Training Advantage for Riders program.

Starting at 11 a.m., more than 500 motorcyclists assemble at Meridian Park. At about 1 p.m., the group will ride from the park to the Statehouse via Interstate 84 and the Connector. The riders will then participate in a rally at about 1:30 p.m.

The speaker at the event will be Ron Shepard, coordinator of motorcycle safety education for the State Department of Education.

Idaho has the lowest fatality rate in the nation for accidents involving motorcycles, he said.

"We are pleased with that success," Shepard said. "But it is important that all drivers be aware of motorcycles now that more riders are on the road for spring and summer."

Part of the state's success can be attributed to its 5-year-old motorcycle safety-training program established in 1995 by the Idaho Legislature. Since that time, the number of motorcycle-related collisions dropped 24 percent; the number of injuries declined 26 percent and fatalities were reduced 33 percent.

In Idaho, drivers under the age of 21 seeking a motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license must take the skills course. Older drivers may take the education course in lieu of a driving skills test to receive the endorsement.

The course called Skill's Training Advantage for Riders (STAR) program is managed by the State Department of Education and has been nationally recognized.

### (For more information on the motorcycle safety program and rally, contact: Ron Shepard at 1 (208) 332-6852)