Pending legislation would require would-be motorcyclists to take a 15-hour training class, costing $200 or more, to legally ride in Connecticut. But don’t expect any opposition from 22-year-old Adam Hinckley, an officer of the Blue Devil Riders club at Central Connecticut State University.
About four years ago, Hinckley said, only days after buying his motorcycle, he lost control while making a turn. He hit a curb and damaged his bike but got away with scrapes to his knees and elbows.
At the time, Hinckley only had his motorcycle permit. He says now that, had he taken a motorcycle training course before the accident, he would have known how to maneuver the bike properly.
Hinckley did enroll in a training course after falling off his bike. He said he learned basic techniques that motorcyclists need to know. As a bonus, he said, there are insurance discounts for riders who take such classes offered privately or through the state.
Another incentive is that, by law, the Department of Motor Vehicles can waive the on-road portion of the “endorsement” application process for individuals who successfully complete an approved training course.
Any motor vehicle driver’s license holder who plans to ride a motorcycle must get a motorcycle “endorsement,” designated by the letter “M” on a license. Motorcycle drivers must have both a valid license and a valid motorcycle endorsement or permit.
Hinckley, of East Hartford, decided on his own to take the course, but future riders might not have that option.
The legislature’s appropriations committee voted Monday 42-2 in favor of a bill that would require anyone applying for a motorcycle endorsement, regardless of age, to complete a novice motorcycle training course. Currently, only those under 18 must take a training course.
The transportation committee passed the bill in March. It now goes to the House of Representatives and the Senate for action.
Rep. Timothy Larson, D-East Hartford, decided to push for expanding the training requirement after talking with Stephanie Pelletier of East Hartford. Pelletier’s 19-year-old son, Nicholas Cohen, died in 2008 when his motorcycle and a minivan collided in Glastonbury.
“I often wonder, if Nick was required to go through formal training, would he be here today?” Pelletier said at a public hearing in March.
The state Department of Transportation’s most recent data show that 37 motorcycle riders and four passengers died in Connecticut in 2009.
The DMV says there are currently 208,107 motorcycle endorsements in Connecticut.
The motorcycle training bill would go into effect Oct. 1 and would result in a $100,000 cost to the DOT, which administers the Connecticut Rider Education Program. The bill has a price tag because more equipment would be needed to meet additional course demand.
For next fiscal year, the Office of Fiscal Analysis says, the initial cost could be covered by a federal grant. However, lawmakers worry that federal funding will not be available later on. This could mean an increase in the novice safety course fees, the legislature’s budget office says.
Kevin Nursick, a spokesman for the state DOT, says that thousands of people participate in the department’s voluntary rider education program each year and that the DOT encourages all motorcyclists to enroll in the program, which teaches life-saving techniques and motorcycle safety.
Classes are held throughout the state for beginner, intermediate and experienced motorcyclists. Fees vary depending on the class, but they start at $200.
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