NSA Safety Department Hosts Motorcycle Safety Stand Down

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples Safety Department held a motorcycle safety stand down June 7, on the Support Site.

The outdoor course was held to refresh riders on the importance of proper safety while operating a motor bike and included hands-on exercises that focused on overall safety techniques as well as tips for driving in Italy.

"We teach a spiral approach for driving here," said David Peters, traffic safety manager for NSA. "We call it rider radar. You're looking close and then somewhere else all the time so your eyes are never fixed on one spot and you're keeping a mental picture of everything going on around you."

Some of the topics covered included performing maintenance checks on a motor vehicle's tires, controls, lights, oil, chassis and kickstand. Also covered was the search, evaluate and execute topic, or SEE. SEE is a method used while driving that helps teach motorists to search their surroundings, evaluate what actions to take in a given situation and execute said actions.

"You have to watch out for traffic, road conditions like potholes and changes in road traction," said Peters. "That's why we did the turning and braking exercises out here; that's where, as motorcyclists, we hurt ourselves the most."

There are several motorcycle safety courses taught in addition to the yearly safety stand down. The Basic Rider Course, Experienced Rider Course and Advanced Rider Course run every two weeks for the basic class, to every month for the more advanced classes. The Advanced Rider Course is required every two years for active motorcycle license holders in order to maintain their license and gas coupon privileges.

Classes are taught not only by instructors from the NSA Safety Department, but also by volunteers who are active motorcycle riders.

Peters notes that the safety office is always looking for more volunteer instructors.

For more information about upcoming classes call DSN: 626-2414 or visit http://www.navymotorcyclerider.com.

For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element East Det. Europe, visit www.navy.mil/local/npaseeurope/.