Motorcycle crashes are on the rise, but with proper training, drivers and riders can work together to prevent them
Tori King
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ)– The state of California is a motorcycle rider’s paradise. With ideal weather conditions, long stretches of freeway, and rider-friendly laws, it’s no surprise the state has more registered riders than any other in the U.S., according to the CHP. However, higher ridership numbers also mean a higher probability for crashes.
In fact, recent reports conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show California accounts for the most fatal wrecks in the country, with one out of every ten deadly motorcycle accidents happening in the Golden State. Although fatal accidents are down from last year, the NHTSA report showed a rise in motorcycle crashes overall. In 2024, over 11,900 motorcycle riders were involved in a wreck, almost 200 more than in 2023. In terms of deadly wrecks, CHP recorded 375 fatal wrecks involving a motorcycle.
Certain areas also see more accidents than others, including Los Angeles County and San Diego County, which round out the top two counties with the most accidents around the state. In 2024, Riverside County made it into the top five most dangerous, with 895 accidents involving a motorcycle.
Officers like David Torres, the Public Information Officer with the CHP Indio office say he’s seen his fair share for deadly accidents, but often times, motorcycle collisions are the most difficult calls to show up to. “We notice the person on the motorcycle is always the most injured,” said Torres. “A lot of it’s because of lack of protection. When we respond to those crashes, we’re immediately thinking, what kind of medical aid can we provide to these people as soon as we arrive to the scenes?” According to law enforcement, a majority of crashes can be attributed to two things: a lack of training, and a rise in people riding illegally with only a permit.”People get a motorcycle thinking that they don’t need the proper training and the proper license, and that inexperience causes you to be overconfident, and then you end up going way too fast or not being able to maneuver your motorcycle in the way you’re supposed to and crash,: explained Torres. “We do make a lot of stops on motorcyclists who have their motorcycle permit, but they’re driving outside the limitations that the DMV gives them. And a lot of crashes I’ve been to, I’m going to speak specifically on the few that have been here where they were fatal, the riders weren’t wearing the proper equipment, and they didn’t have their motorcycle license.” And motorcycle training professionals like Allison Woods agree. Woods is one of the onwers and operators of SoCal Motorcycle Training. She believes that improper training on high-powered bikes like 600cc’s or liter bikes, and easy access to those bikes is a growing problem.
“Youngsters, they have the opportunity if they have a license to buy any kind of bike that they want,” said Woods. “There’s nothing that would stop them from getting a very, very high powered bike. And so you know that in itself, along with a hot shoe on a fast bike gets in trouble quickly.”That’s why Woods operates a CHP approved motorcycle riding school in the Coachella Valley to teach riders of any age the basics of riding. The course takes place over several days, with dozens of hours spent in both the classroom, and on a bike in a closed of parking lot environment. Wood’s course practices the riding portion in the parking lot of Acrisure Arena.
“We work under the California Motorcyclist Safety Program, the CMSP,” said Woods. “And these are statewide schools offering the same curriculum at each one of the schools, and it’s a learn to ride class, with 15 to 16 hours of instruction. Successful completion does get you your waiver for the DMV riding test, but even above that, it’s there to teach and reinforce the skills needed for safe beginning writing on the street.”
Another riding school, Champions Riding School, hosts training sessions all over the country, including a stop at the Chuckwalla Raceway, stopping in dozens of cities, military bases, and law enforcement agencies to provide riders with a range of advanced riding lessons, to make them better on the track, and the roadways. Keith Culver, the COO, and CFO of Champions Riding School says he was actually approached by the Marine Corps to create a course that would help prevent fatal accidents more than a decade ago.”The Marine Corps called us and said, ‘Hey, we had more Marines die on motorcycles than they did in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq during that particular year combined, can you help us?” We said, “Absolutely.”‘
According to Culver, most fatal motorcycle accidents happen at intersections, so instructors at the riding school worked on creating a course to give riders the skills that could mean the difference between life and death. “One of the biggest mistakes all riders make is that they are under trained, and they they run wide,” said Culver. “They go across the single line into the guardrail, off the cliff, whatever. Worst case, they run wide and go across the double yellow line into ongoing traffic. So in terms of single vehicle, motorcycle fatalities, that is the number one issue. Statistically for multi vehicle, meaning they hit another car or another object, is at intersections. It’s failure to be able to slow down in time at an intersection. So we spend a lot of time on those things during our course.”
And last but not least, aside from training, safety experts say preventing deadly accidents begins before you even put the key in the ignition, they’ve proven, it truly starts with proper safety gear. Stevan Popovich is not just a life-long rider, he now the President and Chief Retail Officer, for Cycle Gear, one of the largest and fastest-growing companies in the U.S. that sells motorcycle safety gear. “We like to say, prepare for the The technology has advanced so much over the past decade, from helmets to textiles that really can afford the rider level of safety that’s unparalleled to what they’ve experienced in the past.” That’s why companies like Cycle Gear have been working to make protective gear more comfortable, more affordable, and more advanced with time, including technology like a wearable airbag, which deploys in under a second if a rider is involved in a crash.”The technology has advanced to a point where you can be incredibly comfortable and still look good,” said Popovich. “And in addition with airbag technology, you know, it’s a vest, so it’s something that you can wear under that you don’t even feel it. I wear one every day I ride. It’s techology that can literally ave lives.”By implementing all of these factors before a ride, according to experts, the risk of a deadly motorcycle accident goes down exponentially, however, its a team effort that requires time and attention.”Driving safely on the freeway and highways and intersections, it’s the responsibility of both both the motorcyclist and the drivers,” said Torres. “Be courteous and to watch out for each other, always.”