Improving Motorcycle Safety Aim of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Operation

Careless motorists as well as riders get special scrutiny

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on 06-13-18, in the City of Palmdale in an effort to lower deaths and injuries. Extra deputies will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur. Deputies will be looking for violations made by drivers and riders alike that can lead to motorcycle crashes. They will be cracking down on both those operating regular vehicles and motorcycles who are violating traffic safety laws. Motorcycle fatalities jumped dramatically in California by over 28 percent from a decade low of 352 in 2010. In 2013, 453 motorcyclists lost their lives, which is at a 5 year high. California collision data reveals that primary causes of motorcycle-involved crashes include speeding, unsafe turning and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs by both riders and drivers alike. Operations like this are aimed at curbing any more rises in motorcycle deaths and sending the numbers back downward. Over the course of the past 3 years, motorcycle involved collisions have resulted in 1,332 fatal and injury crashes throughout the county. Safety tips for riders – See and Be Seen:  Use your lane position to increase visibility; change lanes only when there is ample room