OFF THE WIRE
Task force to target motorcycle safety The Ortega Highway was the site of 16 fatal crashes from 2007 through 2010
REGION: Task force to target motorcycle safety By TAMMY J. MCCOY - tmccoy@californian.com North County Times - The Californian
Posted: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 5:22 pm
The CHP has displayed a mangled motorcycle as part of a campaign to reduce motorcycle crashes on the Ortega Highway east of Lake Elsinore. (Photo by Hayne Palmour IV - Staff photographer)
The Ortega Highway claims an average of three motorcyclists' lives each year, a trend authorities hope to bring to a screeching halt in the coming months.
Temecula-area California Highway Patrol Capt. Ernie Sanchez is heading up a task force targeting motorcycle safety on the 33-mile stretch of the Ortega, also known as Highway 74, that falls within his office's jurisdiction.
This section of the Ortega, with its curves and beautiful views, is the second-busiest route for motorcyclists in Southern California, he said.
"It has some nice turns; it's a fun road to drive," Sanchez said.
But the stretch of road sees an average of three motorcyclist deaths a year, he said.
From January 2007 to December 2008, there were 75 crashes on the narrow, winding highway ---- 25 of them resulted in injuries, while nine resulted in death.
Of those nine fatal crashes, three were caused by motorcyclists who were driving too fast, according to data provided by CHP Officer Ron Thatcher. Speed was the primary cause in 25 of those 75 motorcycle crashes, Thatcher said.
In 2009 and 2010, there were 52 crashes involving motorcycles, of which seven were fatal and 45 resulted in injuries, Thatcher said.
A grant of almost $185,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety will permit the California Highway Patrol to increase its presence in the area.
The money will pay for officers to patrol the stretch for an additional 182 hours a month, Thatcher said.
"It's no secret, they know when we are up there," Sanchez said. "We even have some surprises ... that will help us," he added.
The captain said the CHP obtained a mangled motorcycle, which has been put on display in the area to serve as a warning to motorcyclists of what could happen to them if they are not careful.
Officials with other law enforcement agencies, including the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, also have joined the task force.
Lake Elsinore police Chief Dave Fontneau said officers from his department will be stepping up enforcement on issues related to unsafe lane changes, speeding and licensing on the section of the road that's inside the city.
To drive a motorcycle legally, the law requires that drivers obtain a motorcycle operator's license from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Applicants have to pass a written and road test to get the "M" designation on their license.
Without that skill and knowledge, a driver operating a motorcycle on a road with all the twists and turns on the Ortega Highway can be trouble for others.
"To me, it's just a scary thought. Someone driving a motorcycle that powerful and they don't have the 'M' endorsement," Sanchez said.
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/swcounty/article_29a4973f-4141-5302-bdcf-009a8a1c7986.html