ST. PAUL — Certified motorcycle “road guards” will be able to stop and control traffic for large motorcycle group-rides in Minnesota beginning August 4. The Motorcycle Road Guard Law, passed by the legislature and signed into law in 2012, is designed to help motorists and motorcyclists safely share the road during group rides.
The law requires road guards to:
- Successfully complete a driving record review and a training course to receive a motorcycle road guard certificate.
- Meet safety and equipment standards outlined in the law.
- Only act as a flagger for group rides with 20 motorcycles or more.
- Notify each statutory or home rule charter city through which the ride is traveling.
- Receive consent from the chief of police of city of the first class through which the ride is traveling.
Drivers stopped by a certified road guard must obey the flagger’s instructions and stay stopped until they are given the “all clear” signal from a flagger or police officer. Road guards are not allowed to hold traffic for longer than 10 minutes.
More than 400 Minnesotans have passed the Department of Public Safety Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center Road Guard Training Course. The Road Guard Training Course is $30 and is offered through October. Visit
motorcyclesafety.org to register or find more information.
About the Minnesota Department of Public Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 11 divisions where 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.
About the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center
The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) provides high-quality rider education, training and licensing to prevent motorcycle crashes and the resulting fatalities and injuries. It was created in the early 1980s to address record high motorcyclist fatalities.
The MMSC provides on-cycle and classroom rider training courses, develops awareness campaigns and informational materials, and coordinates third-party skills testing for motorcycle license endorsement through the Basic Rider Course and evening testing at select DVS Exam Stations.
Motorcycle safety is a component of Toward Zero Deaths (TZD), the state’s primary road safety initiative. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes — education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.
Recent MMSC Activity and Statistics
- There are more than 236,000 registered motorcycles and more than 414,000 licensed operators in Minnesota.
- During the 2014 training season, MMSC trained more than 6,000 students statewide.
- New 2015 courses include 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course and Motorcycle Road Guard Certificate. A complete list of courses and descriptions is available online at motorcyclesafety.org.
- Follow MMSC on Twitter @MnDPS_MCSafety and “like” MMSC on Facebook.
