By Gracie Bailey
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.- The University of Arkansas Police Department held an event to educate student motorcycle and scooter riders about safety on the road.
Students gathered at The Gardens on Razorback Road to hear from representatives from Harley Davidson and Moped U about proper safety equipment and secure driving practices.
The event is part of National Campus Safety Awareness Month and comes just in time for Bikes, Blues & BBQ, which starts on Wednesday, Sept. 26. and lasts until Saturday, Sept. 29.
Bikes, Blues, & BBQ is the world’s largest charity motorcycle rally and expects around 400,000 participants from every state in the nation.
According to Fayetteville Police Department, last year’s rally involved nine wrecks and no stolen motorcycles. There was also no motorcycle wrecks that resulted in life-threatening injuries inside the Fayetteville city limits.
University of Arkansas Police Department’s Corporal Allen Porter says he believes that many student bike riders are unclear on what the law requires of them while driving their motorcycles and scooters. He encourages anyone with questions to give UAPD a call.
“If you are riding on the street, the highway, roadway, you have to have a driver’s license. You have to have eye protection, whether it’s a motorcycle or a scooter,” said Corporal Allen Porter of University of Arkansas Police Department.
“As many people that are going to be out this weekend. Scooters, cars. Put a helmet on,” said representative from Moped U Danijel Lokmer.
Gear that protects the body is not the only gear UAPD encourages bike owners to use. UAPD receives calls every day reporting stolen scooters and sometimes, motorcycles. Theft can easily be prevented with bike locks.