Police officers in Modesto, California plan to focus on motorcycle safety through the month of April. Extra officers will be posted in popular motorcycle riding areas, looking for both motorcycles and other vehicles operating dangerously. The police department will be cracking down on drivers that are speeding, making illegal turns, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and other violations that put motorcycle riders at risk.
This specialized Motorcyle Safety Enforcement Operation is in response to an increase in motorcycle collisions in the area. While motorcycle fatalities dropped by 37% from 2008 to 2010, they quickly turned around and increased by 23% between 2010 and 2012.