Washington motorcycle deaths are on the rise, officials say
Motorcyclists must take responsibility for their safety on public roads, Washington State Patrol Representatives say, and stay away from unsafe cycling practices, such as trying to ride while using illegal drugs or alcohol. Washington State has had a steady increase of the number of licensed motorcycles and according to the Washington State Patrol, and the number of fatal accidents involving motorcycles has increased accordingly. State Patrol representatives said the rising trend of accidents has been noticed over the past several years by law enforcement officials throughout Washington, and the increasing motorcycle accident rate can be traced to the rising number of novice motorcycle riders on the road. Just this year, 13 motorcyclists were killed in traffic accidents throughout the state. Of these 13 collisions, eleven, nearly 85 percent, were found to be the fault of the person riding the motorcycle. Just recently, three motorcycle accidents occurred throughout the state in the period of a single weekend. All of three were fatal and all of were ascertained to be the fault of the motorcyclist. Motorcyclists with limited experience at the handlebars often exceed the speed limit and attempt riding maneuvers that are beyond their skill level. New motorcyclists riding bikes too advanced for them to safely control as well as older operators who haven’t taken updated motorcycle safety training classes are the most likely to be killed in a motorcycle collision.
