Oceanside Police Department Focuses on Motorcycle Safety

The will conduct special patrols Thursday through Saturday, in an effort to reduce motorcycle-related injuries and deaths.

Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur, according to a department news release. Officers will be on the lookout for drivers and riders who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They will also crack down on traffic violations that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries and fatalities.

According to the release, motorcycle fatalities had been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent in the last decade. In 2009, the state experienced a 29.6 percent reduction with 394 motorcyclists killed. Preliminary 2010 numbers indicate another 10 percent drop.

Some of the reduction in deaths can be attributed to fewer improperly licensed riders, the release states.