Crackdown on motorcycle safety nets 40 citations

Deputy checks on motorcycle safety. Photo courtesy SCV Sheriff Station.
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A 12-hour crackdown on motorcycle safety Monday resulted in deputies issuing 40 citations, mostly for speeding.

Deputies with Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, with help from extra deputies assigned by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, issued 34 citations for speeding out of the 40 issues in total, Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station, said Monday afternoon.

Four citations were for illegal use of cell phones while driving and two were for motorists making turn violations.

Of the 40 citations, one motorcyclist was cited for speeding – one of 34 alleged speeders.

Another motorist was issued a citation for allegedly turning in front of a motorcycle.

Three people were arrested for allegedly driving with a suspended driver’s license and one for being an unlicensed driver.

The crackdown, called a motorcycle safety enforcement exercise, was carried out between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the city of Santa Clarita, according to a news release issued by the LASD.

It was aimed at educating motorcyclists and drivers on the rules of the road.

Motorcycle fatalities have jumped dramatically in California over the past decade, according to the LASD news release.

In 2017, there were 576 people killed in motorcycle crashes statewide, up nearly 17 percent from 494 in 2015, it reports.

Over the past three years, collisions involving motorcycles have resulted in 950 fatal and injury crashes in the cities policed by the Sheriff’s Department.

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Sheriff’s Department officials offered the following tips for motorcyclists and drivers:

N Drivers should be alert for motorcyclists, as many motorcycle crashes are caused when drivers do not see them, the news release advises. Check your mirrors and blind spots, especially when merging, turning or changing lanes.

N Riders should make themselves visible by wearing brightly colored, protective clothing and keeping lights on during daylight.

N Riders should also change lanes only when there is enough room and always wear a Department of Transportation compliant helmet.

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