OUR PEOPLE
Professional Honors
- SMSA Outstanding Contribution Award and the Ron Shepard Safety Recognition Award, Motorcycle Riders Foundation, September 2016
- OSU Outreach and Engagement Award, August 2015
- Champions Award, TEAM OREGON Motorcycle Safety Program, Nov. 2014
- Featured on cover of American Motorcyclist Magazine – Aug. 2014 http://issuu.com/americanmotorcyclist/docs/0814_street_web_preview/1?e=0
- OSU Excellence in Outreach Award, Jun. 2006
- TEAM OREGON ranks first in best practices -Promising Practices in Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing, NHTSA, Aug.2005 • Chairperson’s Award, SMSA Conference, Aug. 2004
- MSF Outstanding State Program Award, TEAM OREGON, 2000
- Recipient, MSF Award of Excellence, 2000
- MSF State Program Award of Merit, TEAM OREGON,1999
- MSF Outstanding State Program Award, TEAM OREGON, 1996
- Lifetime Achievement Award, TEAM OREGON, Nov.1996
- FIM Certificate of Commendation May 1996
- SMSA Certificate of Commendation, Aug.1994
- MSF Outstanding State Program Award, TEAM OREGON, 1994
- SMSA -Member, Executive Committee, 1984–1991; Chairperson 1986 –1988
- John E. Harley Memorial Award, MSF, 1990
Professional Affiliations
- Member, NHTSA State Motorcycle Program Assessment, Texas, Feb. 2014
- Communicator Award; Educational Package, OSU, 4-H, Feb. 2012
- Member, System Users Group Executive Board, TRB, 2010-2012
- Member, Expert Panel on Program Standards for Beginning Motorcycle Rider Training; Windwalker Corp. for NHTSA; Washington D.C., Sept. 2008
- Member, NHTSA State Motorcycle Program Assessment, Indiana, Jun. 2008
- Member, Expert Panel on Approaches to the Assessment of Initial Entry Motorcycle Training; Windwalker Corp. for NHTSA; Washington D.C., Apr. 2008
- Member, Expert Panel, Strategic Plan -An Outlook for the Future; Cambridge Systematics for NHTSA Office of Behavioral Safety Research; D.C., Apr. 2008
- Member, NHTSA State Motorcycle Program Assessment, Ohio, Oct. 2007
- Chairperson, NHTSA State Program Assessment, Maryland, Dec. 2006
- Chairman, TRB Motorcycle and Moped Committee (ANF30), 2006-2009; Member August 1988 - 2011
- Co-Emphasis area manager -National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Motorcycle Safety Guide (NCHRP), TRB, 2004-2006
- Chairperson, Driver Education Task Force –Administration; ODOT, 2000
- Member, Oregon Governor's Motorcycle Safety Advisory Committee,1987-1991
- Member, Technical Working Group, National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety, Sept.1998 –Mar. 2001
- Chairperson, MSF/SMSA Curriculum Advisory Committee, 1997 - 1998
- Training Staff, North American Motor Officers Association, Apr. 1987 - 2002
Stephen Garets is an expert in motorcycle safety, motorcycle operator standard of care, and motorcycle operator education, training, and licensing. Mr. Garets has been riding motorcycles since 1965 and has logged well over a half million motorcycling miles. He routinely evaluates actions taken, and not taken, by a crash-involved motorcyclist to analyze behavior leading up to a crash to determine whether and how it was timely, informed, and appropriate. He also identifies and evaluates other potentially contributing behavioral, environmental, or vehicular factors that may have affected the outcome. By thorough review of pertinent information, such as accident reports, witness statements, site inspection data, and motorcycle testing data, Mr. Garets assists his clients in understanding complex contextual factors surrounding motorcycling incidents. Mr. Garets is a seasoned testifier who develops opinions and effectively expresses them via detailed reports and clear testimony.
Mr. Garets performs motorcycle testing to determine vehicle performance capabilities and characteristics and routinely performs ride-throughs of crash scenes on exemplar motorcycles to assess the operator point of view and motorcycle performance. These ride-throughs are often instrumented and filmed to be later used to illustrate what the motorcycle operator would have seen, or would have been able to see and detect, to include the time and distance available for response. Respecting that vehicle and roadway features can contribute to motorcycle crashes, Mr. Garets analyzes and understands motorcycle performance characteristics and operator response skills. He can apply this knowledge to evaluate allegations of vehicle or roadway defects. Prior to joining Ä¢¹½tv, Mr. Garets engaged in motorcycle operator safety and standard of care consulting for his own consultancy, serving clients nationwide from 2011 to 2024. Mr. Garets directed the TEAM OREGON Motorcycle Safety Program from 1984 to 2016, serving the training and education needs of thousands of motorcyclists.