What’s become an annual tradition in May for the Kosciusko County Commissioners is to proclaim May as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month at the request of Region 1 American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE).
Tuesday morning, the commissioners did so again for 2025.
Donnie Barton, Region 1 ABATE county representative, said, “The month of May is what we declare as Motorcycle Safety Month because the weather is changing and we like to make sure that drivers out there know that we’re out there. We want to be sure that our riders are prepared to be out there, to make sure their bikes are prepared to be out there. So, today, we’d like to give you the proclamation and sign and declare May as Motorcycle Safety Month.”
Commissioner Bob Conley read the proclamation, which states that motorcycles serve as an “excellent” form of transportation in the county for commuting, touring and recreational use. Motorcycles are “energy-efficient vehicles, assisting in reducing fuel consumption and contributing to reducing traffic and parking congestion in many communities.”
The proclamation also states that road safety is the county’s highest priority for streets, roads and highways, and that “increased awareness and knowledge of the rules of the road and good driving skills are necessary for the safe operation of all vehicles.”
After the commissioners meeting and photos, Conley additionally said, “A major concern of motorcycles in the summertime, as far as safety goes, is debris on the roadway with people mowing along the side of the road with their lawn grass. The debris that they put on the road, and also farmers who trim along the edge of their field with their big tractors and their big mowers, a lot of times they put debris on the road and it doesn’t get cleared off. It’s a major concern, it’s a tremendous hazard. So people just need to be aware of that, cognizant of the fact that we need to keep the roadways as clear as we can for everybody’s safety, not just motorcycles.”