Did you see the dire message on interstate highway signs all across Colorado? On February 1st, many of these signs said 35 people have died in Colorado crashes since the beginning of the year. This number is especially shocking considering that 2017 was a record year for Colorado traffic deaths. Does this mean 2018 will be a worse year, and should motorcyclists be worried?
Will Motorcycle Safety Be Better in 2018?
On Friday January 19th, a car driving down Patterson Road in Grand Junction turned and drove into a motorcyclist. The rider would later succumb to his injuries at Mary’s Medical Center. Only minutes after this crash, Grand Junction police received a REDDI (Report Every Drunken Driver Immediately) alert for a red sedan matching the description of the one involved in this crash.
This incident underscores how quickly a bad situation can turn deadly, and the Colorado Transportation Department and Colorado Highway Patrol have been trying to prevent situations just like it. 2016 was a record-breaking year when it came to motorcycle-related traffic deaths. This forced public officials to increase their efforts to spread motorcycle safety, and it looks like they may have been met with some success.
Though 2017 saw an increase in traffic fatalities, motorcycle fatalities did not increase. As a matter of fact, motorcyclist deaths actually decreased by 20 percent. Though this is good news for riders all over Colorado, these gains could easily be lost in 2018. That means current motorcycle safety measures need to continue so that all riders in our state can be safe. So, what will you do to ride safer this year?
A message from the motorcycling attorneys at Metier Law Firm.