“Our members have already responded to a couple of motorcycle collisions over the first few weeks of the riding season,” says Sgt. Kerry Bates of the EPS Traffic Safety Unit. “Most of us haven’t ridden a motorcycle for several months due to the winter, so it’s important to take it easy and reintegrate slowly onto surrounding roadways. Riders should also be mindful of seasonal road conditions. Some of our roads may still have gravel on them, which tends to accumulate on our streets throughout the winter months. This can create instability for motorcycles.”
At approximately 5:15 p.m. on April 20, 2024, EPS members responded to a call from EMS regarding a single-vehicle motorcycle collision in north Edmonton. A 23-year-old male rider sustained serious, non-life-threatening injuries, after his 2005 Yamaha YZ FR motorcycle left the road on 82 Street just north of the Anthony Henday Drive and rolled in an adjacent ditch. The male was treated and transported to hospital by EMS.
On April 23, 2024, at approximately 7:45 p.m., a group of motorcycle riders were witnessed driving northbound on Gateway Boulevard near 19 Avenue, weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed. One of the drivers, a 21-year-old male, operating a 2012 Suzuki GSX600, struck the rear of a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 truck. The rider was ejected from the bike and slid to a stop down the road. The male sustained serious, non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by EMS.
Over the past five years (2019-2023), there have been a total of 635 collisions involving motorcyclists. Of those, 381 (60%) resulted in injury and 11 (1.7%) resulted in fatality. The top three driver errors when a motorcyclist is at fault were: rider ran off the road (41%), rider followed too closely (30%), and rider changed lanes improperly (7%) (City of Edmonton data).
Safety Tips for Motorcycle Drivers:
- Obey the speed limit and other traffic laws.
- Maintain adequate space between yourself and vehicles around you. The shorter the distance between vehicles, the less reaction time a motorcyclist has if something unexpected occurs.
- Be a defensive driver: always assume other drivers can’t see you.
- Wear an approved helmet along with protective gear.
- Ensure your motorcycle is properly maintained.
- Take an approved motorcycle training course to build or improve your skills.
Tips for other vehicles sharing the road with motorcyclists:
- Be aware of the traffic around you and actively look for motorcycles.
- Shoulder check before changing lanes or merging onto other streets.
- Proceed cautiously at intersections because motorcycles can easily be hidden in traffic.