U.S. urges better skills for motorcyclists

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters says the agency is developing a national training standard for entry-level motorcycle riders.

Peters told The Washington Post that the standards would be aimed not only at children but also at older drivers who are getting back in the saddle after years of being strictly car-bound.

"We're not quite as spry as we were," said Peters, who broke her collarbone a few years a go when she had an accident on her own Harley. "Our reflexes aren't as good, our vision isn't as good … and don't always go to the training schools as we should."

The Department of Transportation has made motorcycle safety a higher priority as the cost of gasoline has more people looking for cheaper ways to get around.

While U.S. motorcycle fatalities doubled in the past decade, the level of driver education and the requirements for obtaining a motorcycle license have remained relatively minimal, the Post said.