Franklin County proclaims May 2026 Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month after ABATE remarks

Franklin County commissioners on a voice vote declared May 2026 Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month after staff read a county proclamation and members of a motorcyclist-safety group addressed the panel.

Calvin Wolf, who identified himself as coordinator of Keystone ABATE of Pennsylvania, Chapter 56, told commissioners the group is focused on riders’ rights and safety and described recent local motorcycle crashes. "In the last couple weeks, we've had some bad motorcycle wrecks," Wolf said, and urged public awareness and training opportunities as the county enters the riding season. He invited commissioners and the public to an ABATE meeting and highlighted the group's charity rides and outreach, saying the organization has donated more than $200,000 to youth programs over many years.

The proclamation read by the chair noted state resources for rider training and encouraged drivers to share the road. Commissioners also discussed a related safety concern raised by a commissioner about unlicensed, faster e‑bikes operating like small motorcycles. "I've seen an awful lot of unlicensed... zipping around and not paying attention to any traffic rules, and some of them are just kids," Commissioner (speaker 2) said, adding that such devices pose a growing crash risk.

County staff and speakers encouraged drivers to look for motorcycles, said PennDOT offers training, and urged all roadway users to adopt safe practices. The board approved the proclamation by voice vote, paused for a group photograph and declared the county’s support for heightened motorcycle-safety outreach in May.

The proclamation was adopted with no recorded opposition; commissioners did not set further formal action tied to the proclamation at the meeting.