CA- motorcycle safety enforcement 2011

[karen]

California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) - Grants

Under "Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP)":

Bakersfield Police Department:
Beverly Hills Police Department
Folsom Police Department
Fontana Police Department
Gardena Police Department
Livermore Police Department
Long Beach Police Department
Modesto Police Department
Pasadena Police Department
Riverbank Police Department
San Bernardino Police Department
San Mateo Police Department
Santa Monica Police Department
Turlock Police Department

NOTE:
Wording:

Emphasis Area: Police Traffic Services

Enforcement Grant
..." Additionally, enforcement operations will be directed to intersections with disproportionate numbers of traffic crashes as well as special enforcement operations to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed and injured in traffic collisions."
---

NOTE:

Emphasis Area: Police Traffic Services
OTS Region: Los Angeles/Orange Counties Region
PT1121 Traffic Enforcement & Collision Reduction Program
OTS Coordinator Ron Miller
Grant Begins: 10/1/2010 Grant Ends: 9/30/2011
Grant Director: Shaun Mathers, Captain
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
4900 South Eastern Avenue, Suite # 102
Commerce CA 90040
(323) 890-5400
Enforcement Grant
To reduce the number of persons killed and injured in crashes involving alcohol, speed, red light running and other primary collision factors, "best practice" strategies will be conducted by hiring fulltime personnel supported by operations conducted on an overtime basis. Funded strategies will include DUI/Driver License Checkpoints, DUI Saturation Patrols and "Court Sting" programs targeting DUI offenders with suspended or revoked driver licenses who get behind the wheel after leaving court. A DUI "HOT" Sheet program will be implemented. Additionally, this program will concentrate on speed, aggressive driving and seat belt enforcement, and operations will be driected to intersections with disproportionate numbers of collisions. Special enforcement operations to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed and injured to traffic collisions will be conducted to address primary collision factor violations. These strategies are designed to earn media attention thus enhancing the overall deterrent effect.

K

[karen]

City of Hemet - Police Department

Media Release
January 18 , 2011

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY/ DUI
SATURATION PATROL PLANNED THIS SATURDAY


Hemet, CA – Hemet Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a Motorcycle safety/ motorcycle DUI saturation patrol on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 within the city limits of Hemet. This saturation patrol will take place between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Officers will be focusing their efforts on motorcycle safety violations and DUI riders. In the past three years, there was a total of 58 motorcycle related collisions in the city of Hemet injuring 55 people. Most motorcycle collisions result in injury. Motorcycles are inherently dangerous and that danger is compounded when the rider is impaired, and/or riding unsafely.

Funding for this and other DUI saturation patrols is provided to Hemet Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, targeting those who still don’t heed the message to designate a sober driver.

[karen]

San Bernardino patrols to focus on motorcycle safety - San Bernardino County Sun

San Bernardino patrols to focus on motorcycle safety
By Melissa Pinion-Whitt
Posted:*03/10/2011 07:24:31 AM PST

San Bernardino police will be conducting patrols Saturday focusing on motorcycle safety. Officers plan to patrol areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur, police said.

Police will be looking for riders who commit traffic violations, as well as people in vehicles who drive unsafely around motorcyclists.

San Bernardino had 36 injury crashes and one fatality involving motorcycle riders in 2009. That's a decrease from 2008, but California remains one of three states leading the nation in motorcyclist deaths, police said.

[karen]

CHP to Crack Down on Unsafe Motorcyclists Along Ortega Highway - KPSP Local 2

CHP to Crack Down on Unsafe Motorcyclists Along Ortega Highway Reported by: KPSP Local 2 News Services
Email: news@kpsplocal2.com
Created: 1:13 pm
Last Update: 1:20 pm

Motorcyclists committing traffic violations on the Ortega Highway in Riverside County will be the target of a six-month enforcement campaign by the California Highway Patrol, it was announced Monday.

From April through the end of September, the CHP's Temecula office will ramp up patrols on a 33-mile stretch of state Route 74 to catch unsafe motorcyclists, according to Officer Ron Thatcher.

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "Motorcycle Safety Coalitions'' grant will provide the funds necessary for overtime and special operations geared to motorcycle riders, Thatcher said.

CHP data from January 2007 to December 2008 indicate there were 75 motorcycle collisions from where the Ortega Highway begins in San Juan Capistrano to Green Avenue in southwest Riverside County. Twenty-five of the accidents resulted in injuries, and all were connected to speeding.

"Taking a turn too fast, a motorcyclist is likely to find himself in over his head,'' said Capt. Ernie Sanchez, commander of the agency's Temecula office.

"This stretch of highway demands concentration and caution on the part of the rider,'' he said. "With this grant, we're hoping to not only raise awareness and educate motorcyclists, but ultimately save lives and reduce the number of riders injured every year.''

The Temecula CHP will coordinate with local law enforcement agencies to conduct enforcement operations and advance public awareness efforts, according to Thatcher.

[karen]

www.thevalleychronicle.com/articles/2011/05/23/news/doc4dd58e4aa2668557411041.txt

Police to target scofflaw motorcyclists

By The Valley Chronicle
Published: Monday, May 23, 2011 9:54 AM PDT

The Hemet Police Department will focus on motorcycle safety Tuesday in an effort to lower rider deaths and injuries.

Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur most often.

Officers will look for drivers and riders who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and crack down on traffic violations by motorcyclists and other drivers.

In the last three years, there have been 58 traffic collisions involving motorcycles in Hemet, causing injury to the riders in 51 of these collisions.

[karen]

As Angeles Crest Highway Re-Opens, CHP Gears Up for Motocycle Safety - La Canada Flintridge, CA Patch

As Angeles Crest Highway Re-Opens, CHP Gears Up for Motocycle Safety

The California Highway Patrol will step up enforcement on Highway 2 through the end of September.

By Donna Evans | Email the author | June 1, 2011

As the the California State Department of Transportation is poised Friday to re-open Angeles Crest Highway, a sinuous stretch of road beloved by bikers, the CHP will step up enforcement.

The Crest's sweeping turns and steep cliffs demand motorcyclists navigate the road with care and at a controlled speed, and the California Highway Patrol plans to help folks remember this through the Motorcycle Safety Coalitions grant, the agency announced Wednesday. CHP Public Information Officer Ming-Yang Hsu declined to release the amount of the grant.

The grant, which provides enhanced enforcement effort by CHP officers through September 30, will focus on traffic violations made by motorcyclists, as well as other vehicle drivers that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries and fatalities, according to a CHP press release.

"Angeles Crest has one of the highest accident rates in the state,'' Hsu said, adding the CHP waited to make the grant announcement until Caltrans' announcement of reopening the road.

According to data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, 164 motorcycle-involved collisions occurred on Route 2 from Starlight Crest Drive to state Route 39 in Los Angeles County between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2008. Among the collisions, eight were fatal, seven of which were the result of unsafe speed. Of those, speed was the primary collision factor for 98 of the accidents.

Therefore, in an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle-involved fatal and injury collisions along the 38-mile stretch of highway patrolled by the Altadena Area office, the CHP will establish a task force and develop and implement a public awareness campaign by working with local agencies and community members.

Funding for this grant was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

[karen]

Sacto 9-1-1: Folsom enforcement effort aims to reduce motorcycle fatalities

June 13, 2011
Folsom enforcement effort aims to reduce motorcycle fatalities

By Cathy Locke

The Folsom Police Department will conduct a special motorcycle enforcement operation Thursday as part of an effort to continue reducing deaths and injuries.

Extra officers will be on duty, patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur, according to a Police Department news release. Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations by motorcyclists and other vehicle drivers that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries and fatalities.

Motorcycle fatalities had been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent in 11 years, from 204 deaths in 1998 to 560 death in 2008. That trend has stopped, with data showing a 30 percent decrease in motorcycle fatalities in 2009. Despite the improvement, officials said, California remains one of three states that lead the nation in motorcyclist deaths.

According to California collision data, the primary causes of motorcycle-involved crashes include speeding, unsafe turning, and impairment due to alcohol or drugs.

The Folsom Police Department also reminds other motorists to be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes.

Another factor in motorcycle-related crashes is inexperience. Between 2006 and 2008, 58 percent of motorcycle operators under the age of 25 who were killed were not properly licensed, according to the news release. Police urge motorcyclists of all ages to obtain the proper license, and to seek training and safety information.

Training is available through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. For more information and training locations, see the website at www.CA-msp.org, or call (877) 743-3411.

Funding for Folsom's special enforcement program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Administration.

[karen]

www.swrnn.com/2011/06/11/hemet-police-to-target-motorcycle-safety-next-week/

Hemet police to target motorcycle safety next week By City News Service, on June 11th, 2011

Motorcyclists with a need for speed and a penchant for taking dangerous shortcuts will be on the Hemet Police Department’s radar next week.

The Hemet Police Department will conduct a specialized “Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation” on Tuesday in an effort to continue lowering deaths and injuries, said Hemet police Lt. Dean Evans.

“Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur,” Evans said.

He cited speeding, unsafe turning and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs as leading factors in motorcycle crashes. Evans also cited inexperience as a major factor in motorcycle crashes.

“Between 2006 and 2008, 58 percent of motorcycle operators killed under age 25 were not properly licensed,” he said. “Riders, young and old, are encouraged to be properly licensed and to seek training and safety information.”

California Office of Traffic Safety data show that over the past three years, fatal motorcycle crashes have declined by 30 percent. However, California is still ranked in the top three states in the nation for motorcycle fatalities.

“Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than others sharing the road,” said OTS Director Christopher Murphy. “Motorcyclists require special skills and abilities to reduce the risk of being involved in a crash.”

He said the California Motorcyclist Safety program provides extensive training to riders. More information is available at www.CA-msp.org or (877) 743-3411.

Tuesday’s crackdown is being funded through a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grant.

[karen]

Eureka police to monitor motorcycle safety - Times-Standard Online

Eureka police to monitor motorcycle safety
The Times-Standard
Posted: 07/14/2011 10:04:55 AM PDT

The Eureka Police Department will have extra officers on patrol from Thursday to Sunday to monitor motorcycle safety.

The Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation comes in response to data that the department has that showed California is one of three states that lead the nation in motorcyclists' deaths.

There have been five motorcycle collisions in Eureka so far this year that have caused no injuries to moderate injuries, according to Gary Whitmer, senior traffic officer with the EPD.

While the department said that the number of motorcycle fatalities dropped 30 percent from 2008 to 2009, a press release from the EPD said the total number has increased 175 percent between 1998 and 2008.

The operation runs through Sunday and will crack down on traffic violations and dangerous riders to prevent collisions, injuries and fatalities to motorcyclists.

[karen]

Highway Patrol to crack down on unsafe motorcyclists on Angeles Crest - Burbank Leader

Highway Patrol to crack down on unsafe motorcyclists on Angeles Crest

By Jason Wells, jason.wells@latimes.com

July 26, 2011

California Highway Patrol officers will be combing the Angeles Crest (2) Highway on Saturday as part of a motorcycle safety enforcement campaign.

The campaign is in response to a series of fatal collisions on the mountainous pass involving motorcyclists. Between 2007-2009, there were 10 motorcycle-involved fatalities and 195 injuries on the corridor, according to the Highway Patrol.

And state transportation officials launched an investigation earlier this summer into the deaths of three motorists who were killed in separate collisions within weeks of the reopening of the lower portion of the Angeles Crest Highway in June.

Much of the investigation would involve evaluating speed, location, vehicle type, weather and road conditions.

Since the steep highway reopened after extensive reconstruction, motorcyclists have posted videos on the Internet of near misses, including one on YouTube in which a rider nearly veers into oncoming traffic and is forced to ride on the wrong shoulder.

“In keeping with the Highway Patrol’s departmental goals to ensure the highest level of safety, service and security, our officers will be out in full force this weekend patrolling the Angeles Crest Highway providing additional enforcement,” said Highway Patrol Capt. Bill Dance, the Altadena Area Commander.