In an effort to lower deaths and injuries among motorcycle riders, the Long Beach Police Department will be conducting a Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on Sunday, LBPD officials announced Friday morning.
The operation will see officers cracking down on traffic safety violations made by both motorcycle riders and motorists.
Extra officers will be in places where motorcycle accidents often occur, although specific locations were not disclosed.
“Operations like this are aimed at curbing any more increases in motorcycle deaths and sending the numbers back downward,” officials said in a statement. “Over the course of the past three years, motorcycle-involved collisions have resulted in 315 fatal and injury crashes.”
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, motorcycle fatalities increased 12.1 percent, from 463 in 2013 to 519 in 2014.
The most common causes of collisions include speeding, making unsafe turns and alcohol and drug use by both riders and drivers, LBPD said.
LBPD advises the following safety tips:
- Use your lane position to increase visibility; change lanes only when there is ample room
- Match your speed to surrounding traffic
- Always wear a Department of Transportation compliant helmet and brightly colored, protective clothing
- Ride with lights on during daylight hours
Safety tips for drivers:
- Look twice for motorcyclists, especially when entering the roadway, turning or changing lanes
- Motorcyclist are allowed in High Occupancy Vehicle lanes unless prohibited by signage
Additionally, riders are encouraged to obtain safety training certification through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. The goal of the the program is to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries and upon completion of the program, riders receive a DMV DL389 certificate that may waive the riding skills test requirement at the DMV if other criteria are met.