SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department will be holding their second Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on Friday, August 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a SMPD press release. This is part of a continuing effort to promote Motorcycle Safety Awareness.

Canyon News has previously reported on the efforts of the SMPD to lowers deaths and injuries due to motorcycle involved collisions. During the Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation, on-duty officers will be patrolling area that have been identified within the community where motorcycle collisions are prevalent.

The SMPD officers will be looking for violations of traffic safety laws by both vehicle drivers and motorcycle riders. Motorcycle fatalities have increased in the state of California by over 29 percent since a decade low in 2010 of 352 fatalities. California collision data has identified the following reasons as the primary causes for motorcycle involved collisions: speeding, unsafe turning and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs by both riders and drivers alike.

“The Santa Monica Police Department would like to share the message created by the California Office of Traffic Safety by stating that creating a safer highway environment is the shared responsibility of drivers and motorcyclists alike,” Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez had told Canyon News in an email for a previous Motorcycle Safety Operation. “This is achieved by staying alert and using common sense and courtesy while on the road. It is also important for motorcyclists to minimize their risks by riding responsibly, always wearing a helmet and other protective gear and to never ride under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. Here are other important safety reminders:

  • Watch your speed—a motorcycle collision is highly likely to cause injury or death
  • Assume people in cars do not see you.
  • Avoid blind spots in other vehicles, particularly large trucks”

Funding is provided through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The SMPD also encourages motorcycle riders to get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. For information on this program visit http://www.californiamotorcyclist.com or call 1-877-RIDE-411 (1-877-743-3411).