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Austin proclaims Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month; council member urges drivers to "look" for riders
Summary
Council Member Natasha Harper Madison presented a proclamation declaring May 2025 Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, citing Texas Department of Transportation crash statistics and urging motorists to share the road with motorcyclists; a local rider described near‑misses and urged drivers to be vigilant.
Council Member Natasha Harper Madison read a proclamation on May 22, 2025, declaring May 2025 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Austin and called for a broader conversation about sharing roads safely with motorcyclists.
Harper Madison recounted a personal neighbor’s crash and said motorists must “pay attention” and “share the road.” She cited Texas Department of Transportation figures that were included in the proclamation text: 2,422 motorcyclists injured and 562 killed in a recent year. She noted that more than 61 percent of motorcycle deaths occur between May and October and urged mutual vigilance between riders and drivers.
Local rider Deandre Kane spoke during the event about near‑misses and friends lost to crashes. “That fear is what keeps me alive,” Kane said, describing several close calls where cars moved into his lane, and asking drivers to “look out for me, my friends, anybody on two wheels.”
The proclamation and personal testimonies emphasized awareness campaigns and mutual respect on Austin streets. Council members present connected the proclamation to ongoing road‑sharing conversations, including reference to broader traffic projects such as I‑35, and encouraged the public to observe safety campaigns during peak riding months.
No ordinance or funding change was proposed during the ceremony; the item functioned as a public awareness proclamation.
