Colorado State Patrol sounds alarm about increase in deadly motorcycle crashes

Authorities are sounding the alarm about deadly motorcycle crashes in our state. According to Colorado State Patrol, there have been 21 fatal motorcycle incidents this year.

 Historically, there is an increase in traffic deaths in the month of July, but the first two weeks of the month saw a drastic increase. The percentage of all deadly motorcycle crashes investigated by CSP Troopers rose by 37.5 percent. Six of the 16 deadly crashes involved a motorcycle.

As of July 16th, 15.5 percent of the 135 deadly crashes involved a motorcycle. Looking at last year, of the 134 motorcycle deaths, half of them involved the rider not wearing a helmet. That's 67 deaths that could have been prevented.

"The helmet protects you," said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer. "It's there for a reason. If you're in a crash involving a motorcycle, you come down and that's the difference between your head hitting the ground or the helmet protecting you as it hits the ground."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wearing a helmet is about 37 percent effective in preventing a fatal injury. It is also 41 percent effective for motorcycle passengers.

On August 7, a new state law will go into effect, allowing motorcyclists to pass stopped cars in their lane. This will prevent the motorcyclist from being sandwiched by two cars.

"By filtering it will keep traffic moving more smoothly. It will take away those possible crashes that happen from rearending which will also cause traffic congestion. So, it will keep the motorcyclist safe and it will keep that traffic moving," Moltrer said.

Colorado joins five other states in legalizing lane filtering. It's important to note, lane splitting is still illegal. That's when a ride splits a lane by riding between two rows