Another NHTSA checkpoint grant... Hemet CA

OFF THE WIRE
http://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.
Hemet police will be focusing on motorcycle safety next week. Credit: oregonDOT/Flickr.com/Creative Commons “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 http://www.ca-msp.org/ or (877) 743-3411.
Tuesday’s crackdown is being funded through a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grant.