Due to the stay-at-home orders issued for the state of Washington, officials told reporters, the state saw a month of lower traffic volumes. Because of the open roads and lack of restrictions imposed by other drivers, motorcycle riders are becoming more likely to speed. As expected, this is leading to an increase in accidents.
As a matter of fact, officials said, 12 of the 17 motorcycle fatalities reported in the state of Washington in 2020 happened during April, and speeding was a common factor behind most of these tragic and preventable accidents.
Law enforcement has reported that throughout the month of April, troopers have seen an increase in the number of both drivers and riders traveling at high rates of speed. On one occasion, officials said, a vehicle was caught traveling at 192 mph.
If this trend continues, we could see more motorcycle fatalities in 2020 than we saw in 2019, when 92 people died in motorcycle crashes across Washington — the highest rate of motorcycle fatalities since 1982.
WSP Troopers: Speed, Impaired Driving To Blame For High Motorcycle Fatalities
In 2019, speed was also a major factor behind the uptick in motorcycle fatalities across the state. Additionally, officials said, intoxicated driving and driving without proper license endorsements were also major factors.
What many inexperienced motorcycle riders must understand is that when they choose to operate a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they increase the risk of being involved in an accident. Speeding has the same effect, officials explained, by making it more difficult for the rider to effectively slow down when faced with an obstacle ahead or while negotiating a curve.
Because riding a motorcycle takes a great deal of physical coordination and mental focus, Washington officials are now warning locals, motorcycle riders should never speed or be under the influence of intoxicants.
To read more about the speeding trend officials are seeing on Washington roads, follow this link.
