Diamond Bar: Motorcycle Safety Awareness Campaigns In SoCal

DIAMOND BAR, CA — Do you drive a motorcycle in Diamond Bar? or are you a driver that needs to "look, then look again" for lane-splitting cyclists on the roads of Los Angeles County?

All too often, roadways are closed due to motorcycle collisions across Southern California, many of them fatal. While the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department is focused on motorcycle safety, there is a cross-county initiative the week through the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

"The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on June 26, 2017 in an effort to lower deaths and injuries," OCSD spokesperson, Lieutenant Lane Lagaret said.

Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur.

"Officers will be looking for violations made by drivers and riders alike that can lead to motorcycle crashes," Lagaret said. "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 288 fatal and injury crashes within Orange County Sheriff’s Department jurisdiction.

Safety tips for riders – See and Be Seen:

• Use your lane position to increase visibility; change lanes only when there is ample room
• Match your speed to surrounding traffic
• Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and brightly colored, protective clothing
• Ride with lights on during daylight hours

Safety tips for drivers – Share the Road:

• Look twice for motorcyclists, especially when entering the roadway, turning or changing lanes
• Motorcyclist are allowed in HOV lanes unless prohibited by signage

Riders are urged to get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available: at http://www.californiamotorcyclist.com/ or 1-877 RIDE 411 (1-877-743-3411).

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The message to all drivers and motorcyclists is: share in the responsibility and do your part by safely “sharing the road.”

Random Patch Poll: Do lane splitting motorcyclists freak you out? Or is it just part of driving the Southern California roadways?

Pixabay Image