Coming To U.S. 101: CHP Motorcycle Safety Crackdown

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Beginning later this month, California Highway Patrol's Santa Rosa Area Office will be deploying additional officers to U.S. Highway 101 in Sonoma County for the specific purpose of motorcycle safety enforcement.

The operation will begin May 25 and continue through the end of September, CHP Santa Rosa Area Spokesman David deRutte said Thursday in a news release.

Motorcycle-involved crashes in California continue to be a major concern for the CHP. From January 2017 through December 2017, provisional statistical data revealed there were 95 injury traffic collisions involving motorcycles and two fatal traffic collisions involving motorcycles in the CHP Santa Rosa Area jurisdiction, deRutte said.

"In an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle incidents or collisions resulting from unsafe speed, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, improper turning and other primary collision factor violations by both motorcyclists and other drivers, the CHP, Santa Rosa Area will deploy additional officers on US-101," deRutte said.

To assist the CHP in this traffic safety effort, deRutte said the Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has awarded a grant titled "Get Educated and Ride Safe."

"With the grant funding, the Santa Rosa Area will continue to deploy additional enforcement efforts through Sept. 30, 2019," deRutte said.