More motorcyclists died on Washington roads last year than ever before, according to a recently released state study.
The rise in fatalities – 82 in 2006 – was pinned to the rise in popularity of motorcycles as gas prices climb.
A lack of training on how to ride motorcycles is also linked to the death toll. More than one-third of motorcycle riders killed in Washington between 1993 and 2004 didn’t have a proper driver’s license, the state found.
And 86 percent of those who died didn’t take the state’s safe riding classes.
Motorcycles are dangerous even if you’re trained on how to ride them, said Steve Stewart, motorcycle program manager for the state Department of Licensing.
“If you’re not trained, they’re critically dangerous,” he said.
Warming temperatures and record gas prices are bringing more motorcycles out of garages.
So this month the state is mounting a campaign to urge riders to take riding classes and motorcycle driving tests, Stewart said.
“Testing is about looking where you want to go, being able to have the basic mastery of your controls,” such as being able to stop quickly and being able to maneuver around obstacles, Stewart said.
Seattle motorcyclist Benjamin Doerr, 25, says too many people are dying on their bikes.
While he likes to drive his motorcycle fast, he didn’t feel comfortable doing that until he learned how to better control his bike.
“The physics of motorcycling is actually more complicated than it seems,” he said. “So for someone to get on a bike and have a friend teach them, or try to teach themselves, is not a good thing.”
The newly released 2006 motorcycle safety report was conducted by the Department of Licensing, Washington State Patrol and Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
It shows that more than half of fatal motorcycle accidents are caused by motorcyclists. That runs contrary to the popular belief that other drivers more often are at fault.
It also found that 80 percent of fatalities occur between April and September.
What causes most motorcycle accidents? An inability to control the motorcycle, speed and alcohol, the report stated.
The state is using the report’s findings to launch an awareness campaign that includes television advertisements. And the state is trying to increase the number of classes available for motorcyclists.
The big jump in deaths has come in the last three years, Steward said. Statewide, 74 motorcyclists died in 2005, and 72 in 2004.
The previous high was 60 deaths in 1990, just before the state required riders to wear helmets. The toll hovered in the 50s between 2001 and 2003.
In Snohomish County, 12 motorcyclists died in 2006, and 11 in 2005.
A 29-year-old Bothell man who died Saturday was the third motorcycle-related fatality in Snohomish County this year.
Mukilteo police Cmdr. Chuck Macklin said the accident occurred when a vehicle made an illegal U-turn in front of the motorcycle.
The speed of the motorcycle also may have been a factor, he said. It appears the man did not have a motorcycle endorsement.
Persuading motorcycle riders to get training and pass the operator’s test is a top priority, said trooper Kirk Rudeen of the Washington State Patrol.
“Our agency has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to endorsements,” Rudeen said.
Anyone pulled over without a motorcycle endorsement on his or her driver’s license is given a $112 ticket. They also have to leave their bike behind.
“We’ll transport you to a safe place, but you’re not going to be able to drive your bike,” Rudeen said.
Speed and driver impairment are expected problems, Rudeen said. But it’s becoming more common to see riders who can’t handle their machines, he said.
Today’s motorcycles are far more powerful than people expect, he said, especially when they haven’t been trained on how to control them.
“You can ride a bike down the freeway in a straight line, but maybe a corner is sharper than you thought,” Rudeen said. “All of a sudden maybe the bike’s not doing what you want and you go into a tree or rock and end up dying.”
Law enforcement agencies are struggling with young motorcycle drivers in the 21- to 25-year-old category, a group that often drives street racing motorcycles at high speeds.
Motorcycle enthusiasts are aware of the growing number of dead and seriously injured riders.
Shops, such as Gervasi’s Everett Motorsports, try to make sure the motorcycles they sell match the rider’s experience, said Jennifer McPherson, who sells protective gear at the store. “Usually we encourage people to start small and work their way up.”
Classes are recommended to all buyers, adding that all required safety equipment needed for the state classes is sold at a discount.
Doerr, 25, said he learned how to ride his powerful sport bike – a Moto Guzzi V11 Sport – by taking a riding class.
“I really, really highly recommend it,” he said. “I don’t think anyone should ride a motorcycle without it.”
Another group the state hopes to reach is 40- to 60-year-old baby boomers, who are driving off sales lots with brand-new dream motorcycles.
Sometimes they walk in saying they rode motorcycles as a kid, and sometimes they say they have never sat on one before, said Derek Shaffer, sales manager at Sound Harley-Davidson in Smokey Point.
“My demographic is basically 45 to 60,” he said. “There’s just a vast number (of people) who are looking for this lifestyle.”
The new Harley shop is selling motorcycles so fast since opening last year that it can’t keep stock on the floor, he said.
Sales conversations start and end with the rider’s safety, Shaffer said.
Salespeople aim to find the right-sized bike for the rider, he said. For instance, they gauge whether a customer can control the weight of the motorcycle in a resting position.
“If we feel a bike is too heavy, we may suggest a different model,” he said. “We can replace your motorcycle. We can’t replace you or your body parts.”
Herald writer Jackson Holtz contributed to this report.
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