The Sacramento Police Department will be conducting specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement and DUI Enforcement Operations next week (August 26th through September 2nd) in an effort to lower deaths and injuries caused during collisions involving motorcycles and motor vehicles.

Officers will be on duty patrolling areas that are frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle collisions have occurred. These officers will be looking for violations made by drivers and riders alike that can lead to motorcycle collisions. Officers will focus on violations that involve speed, turning movements, cell phone use, and other moving violations that are dangerous to motorcyclists when they share the roadway with motor vehicles. Officers will also be cracking down on persons riding motorcycles and motorists who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Officers will be deployed during morning/evening commute times and during the evening/nighttime for DUI patrols. Operations like this are aimed at combating the factors that lead to collision related motorcycle deaths and injuries.  The goal is to reduce serious injuries and tragic loss of life and, eventually, to eliminate them entirely.

Motorcycle fatalities have been on the rise nationally since 2012. Since January of 2015, motorcyclist deaths and injury collisions in the City of Sacramento have risen each year. 11 riders have died during this time and more than 150 have been injured in collisions on our streets. 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. The Sacramento Police Department is also reminding all motorists to always be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes.

Riders can get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/programs/california-motorcyclist-safety/california-motorcyclist-training or 1-877 RIDE 411 or 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." Please direct any inquiries to Sergeant Chris Prince via email at cprince@pd.cityofsacramento.org or by telephone at (916) 808-6069.