Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas October 2016 | Page 7

THE ABATE UPDATE

Oklahoma state recognized motorcycle safety course
in order to qualify for a driver license “M” endorsement.
There was some opposition to the bill, but it passed and
was signed into law by Governor Fallon on September
15, 2016.
While ABATE of Oklahoma defends motorcyclists’
freedoms, ABATE also recognized that requiring
survival training BEFORE facing traffic, and bike
handling dangers, was justified. After all, you can’t
develop survival skills from a hospital bed – or worse!
In 2010, ABATE had developed and pushed passage
of another motorcycle bill called Gunner’s Law. This
law collects monies from motorcycle registrations for
the sole purpose of funding motorcycle training and
safety programs. Gunner’s Law has collected more than
$1.4M since 2010 and helps fund the training courses

necessary to train these new riders. In Oklahoma,
motorcyclists are funding their own training and
safety programs!
Oklahoma is trying to correlate serious motorcycle
accidents and deaths to motorcycle safety training,
or the lack of it. Stay tuned for information as it
develops.

INFORMATION ON-LINE
BY: SHAWNA SCHOLTEN

Abate of Oklahoma’s web site is a great asset to the organization and its members. Non-members
can see what Abate of Oklahoma is all about, who to contact for questions, flyers and calendar of
events. Members only are allowed access to their brothers’ and sisters’ information on the website so
that they can easily contact one another for legislative updates, get together or rides. It also contains
Legislative information on current bills on the lobby table, as well as past bills pushed, quashed and
won. As many know, there’s great benefits in bonding on and off the legislative road. The website
also provides photos available for members to reminisce on fun times we share together. A year ago,
Abate of Oklahoma’s web site, has been made to include membership renewals that can be done at
the member’s convenience. What are you waiting for? Hop on-line and check it out.
abateofoklahoma.org
Thunder Roads Magazine of OK/AR

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