Full Notification

The Modesto Police Department is joining law enforcement statewide and across the United States in the National Motorcycle safety awareness month special enforcement operations. In addition, the California Motorcyclist Safety Program is offering special, low cost rider training classes during the month of May.

Modesto Police Department will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on Friday, May 19, 2017, Tuesday, May 23, 2017, Thursday, May 25, 2017 and Tuesday, May 30, 2017 in an effort to lower deaths and injuries. Extra officers will be patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur. Officers will be looking for violations made by drivers and riders alike that can lead to motorcycle crashes. They will be cracking down on both those operating regular vehicles and motorcycles who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speeding, making illegal turns, or any other dangerous violation.

The California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) training program is offering a “Total Control Refresher Training” course during the month of May. This four-hour riding class is for experienced riders with a current motorcycle license. Riders will use their own street-legal motorcycle during the class taught by CMSP-certified Instructors at a cost of only $95. Log onto the CMSP website (http://cmsp.msi5.com) to register at a location near you.

California motorcycle fatalities saw a phenomenal drop of 37 percent from 2008 to 2010, but then rose 31 percent by 2015. Efforts like these are aimed at curbing any more rises in motorcycle deaths and sending the numbers back downward. Over the course of the past 2 years in Modesto, motorcycle involved collisions have resulted in 3 fatal and 63 injury crashes.

News Riders are urged to get basic training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at http://www.californiamotorcyclist.com/ or 1-877 RIDE 411 (1-877-743-3411).

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The message to all drivers and motorcyclists is: share in the responsibility and do your part by safely “sharing the road.”