Virginia offer free motorcycle course National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

VIRGINIA State Police are due to host a free motorcycle safety course throughout May, called Ride 2 Save Lives. The courses will run across the American State on various dates in the month, and aims to teach riders how to safely handle hazards. 

WY Daily report that all participants will be required to hold a valid operators licence with ‘Class M’ endorsement - as well as wearing a helmet, eye protection and appropriate riding attire. 

The R2SL self-assessment course is free, and Colonel Gary T Settle (superintendent of Virginia State Police) has said: 

“The sun is out and the beautiful weather is calling Virginia’s motorcycling community to our highways. Rider safety is of the utmost importance, as riding a motorcycle is a unique experience with its own unique safety concerns.”

Free motorcycle course for Virginia motorcyclists

As well as giving participants the chance to hone their riding skills, riders will be taught how to properly handle hazards, special situations, highways & ‘curve negotiations’ which sounds like a strange way of having a difficult chats whilst riding down twisty roads. But I won't pass judgment on the standards of motorcycle testing in the States.

If you’re interested in the event, check the Virginia Police Eventbrite page to book a slot, or find out more information - there’s dates throughout May and beyond.

This is also a great opportunity to mention the various forms of safety courses in the UK, aimed at taking riding skills to the next level - and often run by local training schools, or Police forces, such as in Derbyshire with the UpRight campaign, Bikerdown initiatives and other advanced rider training like RoSPA and IAM courses.