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Motorcycle safety operation Sunday
By The Record September 19, 2012 12:00 AM
STOCKTON — Police will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on Sunday in an effort to continue lowering deaths and injuries. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur.
Officers will be looking for drivers and riders who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and cracking down on traffic violations made by vehicle drivers as well as motorcyclists that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries and fatalities.
After 10 years of steadily increasing motorcycle fatalities in California, increasing 175 percent from 204 killed in 1998 to 560 killed in 2008, the trend has changed. Two consecutive years of fewer motorcycle fatalities — 394 in 2009 and 352 in 2010 — have resulted in a 37 percent decrease since the 2008 peak.
Riders can get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at CA-msp.org or (877) RIDE-411 or (877) 743-3411. Funding for the program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.