SACRAMENTO, Calif. –To
help save lives and reduce the risk associated with riding a motorcycle, the
California Highway
Patrol (CHP) will implement a new, federally funded grant campaign promoting
motorcycle safety in
California from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022.
The goal of the Get Educated and Ride Safe (GEARS) IV grant
is to decrease the number of motorcycle-involved crashes and victims through
education and enforcement campaigns. In federal
fiscal year (FFY) 2018-19, there was an approximate 10 percent decrease in motorcycle-involved
crashes in California, followed by a 20 percent drop the following year based
on provisional data. Even with the
decline, there
were 6,849 motorcycle-involved crashes resulting in 306 deaths and 6,118 injuries
within CHP jurisdiction in FFY 2019-20.
“While the decrease in the number of crashes is encouraging,
there is still work to be done,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “The GEARS IV grant will support the
Department’s efforts to increase motorcycle safety through education and
enforcement.”
During this grant period, the CHP will participate in traffic
safety education campaigns, such as “May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.”
These campaigns will promote the use of
U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmets for all riders and raise
motorists’ awareness of sharing the road with motorcyclists. The CHP will also increase enforcement efforts
in areas with a high number of motorcycle-involved crashes, which were a result
of speed, improper turning, and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or
drugs.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the
California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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