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5:36 PM, Jul 23, 2012 | by William Petroski
The Iowa State Patrol announced Monday it’s cracking down drunken motorcyclists by launching an enforcement campaign that will focus on major motorcycle rallies and popular bars where motorcyclists are consuming alcohol this summer. This effort will include special patrols on highways and roads around the Iowa Grand Motorcycle Rally, which will be held from Wednesday through Saturday at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, officials said.
“Motorcycle riders who drink and ride are a big problem,” said State Patrol Sgt. Scott Bright. Of the 55 motorcycle riders killed in Iowa traffic crashes in 2010, 25 percent were considered legally drunk with blood-alcohol levels of .08 or higher. he said. Thirty-three percent had consumed some alcohol.
Bright said riding a motorcycle requires coordination, balance and good judgment. Drinking alcohol, more than any other single factor, can rob motorcyclists of the ability to think clearly and ride safety, he added.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic deaths two years ago. But motorcyclists made up only 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States and accounted for less than 1 percent of all vehicle miles traveled.
