Who knew that motorcycling would be one of the safer things a person could do. Many of us got a chance to get outdoor air and social distance on our motorcycles and for that, I was personally grateful. Of course, many of our events were canceled so it had a different feel to it. Not that I mind going nowhere but it did not involve the typical gatherings of friends. One of the things we saw this year was an increase in motorcycle crashes, injuries, and fatalities. While rider education classes (that teach people how to ride a motorcycle) were up, ASM classes that teach people what to do at the scene of a crash were down this year and that can’t be a good thing. It goes hand in hand that people learn how to ride and also learn how to be there for a friend in their time of need. Knowing what to do when someone goes down has successfully been shown to reduce injuries and fatalities. Our students have submitted hundreds of examples.

ASM was ahead of the curve by launching online and blended learning classes about a year ago that allowed people to be able to do online classes even if they were unable to find in-person classroom opportunities. Our online training has picked up tremendously, however, many of our online students are wondering how they can become certified through Hands-On training. There are so many rules out there in each community regarding gatherings. We are watching carefully as some classes are taught for smaller groups and most being taught at this time are private classes for motorcycle clubs and associations. Those classes have been going well but we would like to open more opportunities up for individuals who would like to complete their certification.

ASM/Road Guardians are now looking at virtual Hands-On opportunities guided by a certified instructor so that people can complete their certification. This training will open up certification to many areas that currently do not have an instructor. The logistics of how to do this are being worked on. If universities and schools all over the United States can do this, so can we. Stay tuned as we work out the details. Announcements will be coming soon! if you have done the online training and are wondering when you could complete it, we will send you information as soon as we have it. We appreciate everyone and their commitment to motorcycle safety. Every motorcyclist who has helped is a victory for our organization! We hope you never crash, but if you do, we are here to help. If we can answer any of your questions help your organization get trained please let us know.