Recently, the road signs in Massachusetts have been saying that there were 71 motorcycle deaths in 2024. A couple of weeks later, the electric sign read that there were 11 fatal vehicle accidents in the Bay State in 2025.
This made me wonder how many accidental gun deaths there were in Massachusetts. If there are more motorcycle accidents than there are gun accidents, why is the Commonwealth and its Democratic leadership not pushing for more motorcycle awareness, education, and motorcycle driving training? In 2019, some friends encouraged me to get a motorcycle license. I took the exam three times before I passed it. There were questions about fines and fees on the exam. I’m not sure what that has to do with driving a motorcycle other than it’s just a way for the state to trip you up, have you take the test again, and make sure you know nonsense. The exam did not focus enough on how to ride a motorcycle safely. I also spent $350 and two days taking a class to learn to ride them. Upon successful completion of the final driving exam, I did get the motorcycle endorsement.
I found out during the “gun law listening” tours, which took place in 2023 and we covered here on News2A, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is supposed to be putting out public service announcements talking about firearm storage, training, and safety.
Mass. General Laws c.140 § 131P (f):
The colonel of state police shall produce and distribute public service announcements to encourage and educate the general public about: (i) safe storage and transportation of firearms as outlined in sections 131C and 131L; and (ii) the importance of firearms safety education and training, including information on places and classes that a person may attend to obtain firearms safety education and training.
On a recent trip to Georgia for the NRA Annual Meeting and to film some Riding Shotgun With Charlie episodes, I drove over 1,000 miles. The trip included driving through the southern states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. I do recall seeing some billboards and signs about getting a firearms license and keeping your guns stored in your home safely so that “unauthorized” people do not have access to them.
According to Everytown For Gun Safety’s Everystat.org website, 55% of gun deaths in Massachusetts are suicides, 42% are homicides, 2% are shootings by police, 1% are undetermined, and LESS than 1% are unintentional.
Less than 1% are unintentional.
If the state is supposed to be putting out PSAs about safe storage, training, and education on firearms, why is it not? There’s nothing on TV. No targeted pop-up ads online.
I’m not talking about billboards, whether they’re traditional billboards or digital billboards. I’m talking about the road signs which talk about road closures, traffic, and drive times from one point to another. The electric road signs will have clever things on May 4 and “Star Wars Day.” They put up “Use Ya Blinka.” But when the law says the Commonwealth is supposed to do something, they don’t?
The Commonwealth breaks its own laws, which it wrote, and then it doesn’t enforce them.
Ultimately, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a letdown for gun owners in several ways. Keeping the public informed about their safe storage laws and accidental firearm-related deaths is just the tip of the iceberg. Then there’s Chapter 135 and the mess it’s created. The measure goes after the law-abiding, background-check-passing citizens, and makes training more difficult and costly. Further, the law goes after DIY guns.
Why isn’t the state going after motorcyclists the same way that it goes after gun owners? Why are we not required to take a defensive driving course? Just last week, someone decided to trade paint with me by pulling into my lane while driving not far from where these signs are located. Regardless, stay safe in your home and on the road. Governor Maura Healey won’t tell you this, but News2A will. This is the NSSF’s Gun Storage Check Week. Please make sure your firearms are locked and secured appropriately for you and your family–remember that means what works for you and your situation. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to responsible storage, a concept the anti-Second Amendment crowd fails to grasp.
