EL PASO COUNTY, CO — As the weather is warming up, we are going to see more motorcycles on the road. That is why the Colorado Department of Transportation wants to remind all of us to be aware of this to slow down. Last year, 136 motorcyclists were killed in Colorado.
I reached out to C-DOT to see where El Paso County falls. Last year, the county led the state with 25 motorcycle fatalities. So far this year, Colorado has had 9 motorcycle deaths. El Paso County has seen five of those. I'm told interstates like I-25 allow drivers to go fast and make it hard for bikers to be seen.
And unfortunately, as the weather warms up, police are afraid there will be more traffic deaths, many of which will involve bikers. That is why police are urging people to slow down, especially on highways that allow you to go fast.
“As we move into those warmer months, the public is going to speed up, as everybody is a rush to get somewhere. And as you go faster with motorcycles that always mean there’s a potential for a fatality or a vehicle moving in front of them, causing them to swerve out of the way. Accidents happen. People die and that’s not a good thing,” said Robert Tornabene, Colorado Springs Police Public Information Officer.
“We would like to see everybody slow down, vehicles and motorcycles. Speed is obviously a major factor in the good number of motorcycle vehicle accidents we have. Speed is usually the number one for motorcycle accidents.”
Police also want to remind people to always wear a helmet and it is helpful to take a motorcycle safety course.
In fact, so far this year, there have been 9 motorcycle deaths and only one person was wearing a helmet.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
