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On the right track

Fourteen Marines died in motorcycle accidents during the past year.

That’s 14 too many, for sure, but when measured against the Corps’ record-high 25 bike-related deaths in fiscal 2008, the number offers some hope that Marines are responding favorably to aggressive new safety measures and, with sustained commitment, this distressing statistic will continue to shrink in the years ahead.

Credit the Corps for acheiving what few could have imagined: making motorcycle safety training something Marines want to do.

Track days, for example, allow riders to open the throttle and rip around on the relative safety of a wide-open airstrip — with professional instructors on hand to impart sage advice on turning and braking techniques.

“Semper Ride” events, which attracted more than 20,000 Marines at bases in North and South Carolina when they debuted over the summer, feature flashy demonstrations by skilled stunt riders who wow their audiences with tricks of the trade and then impress upon them the importance of playing safe. To young riders, these pros are celebrities, and their words have influence.

It’s not heavy-handed, and Marines are taking it seriously. Imagine the possibilities for other training, such as suicide-prevention or workplace-safety.

“We’ve got a long ways to go,” notes Col. James Grace, the Corps’ safety division director. That’s true. But it’s encouraging, at least, to see the Corps is on the right track.