Students in Norway will be educated about riding gear, riding strategies, peer pressure and road safety, in a program developed by the authorities, a university and motorcyclists.

The Norwegian Road Authorities, Nord University and NMCU have started a pilot project on raising safety awareness related to moped and A1-motorcycle riding

The pilot was originally planned for Spring 2020, but for obvious reasons, this was postponed. However, on September 12, the project partners met for a kick-off at Nord University. In addition to a full review of the pilot content, the partners also discussed how the target youth group could be accessed and engaged. The awareness program is centred around a one-hour session for first-year high school students (aged 16), highlighting issues as diverse as riding gear, riding strategies and peer pressure.

NMCU president Odd Terje Dovik said: “The goal is two-fold: to raise the youth´s awareness of these and other safety issues, and to increase our own understanding of the target group’s attitudes and experiences. This will of course also help us further develop the program.”

Odd Terje continues: “The high school timetables were quite full even before Covid-19, and the present pandemic has not made it easier to gain access, even for a national agency like the Norwegian Road Authorities. We nevertheless think the high school arena is the best place to start and will work hard to get in at a few schools this year, hopefully paving the way for a broader, national implementation.”

NMCU, the Norwegian Motorcycle Union, is a member of FEMA.