By Lookout Staff

July 25, 2024 -- For the second time this month, Santa Monica police will be cracking down Friday on drivers and motorcycle riders who violate traffic laws.

Extra officers will be on patrol looking for "top primary crash factors for motorcycles," which include speeding, improper turns and lane changes, DUI and right-of-way violations, police officials said.

As vacations and road trips increase during the summer months, so does the percentage of traffic accidents involving motorcycles, studies have shown.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that 63 percent of motorcycle accidents take place between May and September.

Police officials provided the following tips for drivers to avoid accidents:

• Always check twice for motorcycles in your mirrors and blind spots.
  
  
• Use your signal when changing lanes.
  
  
• Never follow a motorcycle too closely. Always keep a safe distance.
  
  
• When at an intersection, allow enough space before turning.

Motorcyclists should keep in mind the following:

• Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and protective gear.
  
  
• Consider adding reflective tape to make it easier for other drivers to see you.
  
  
• Always keep your lights on, even during the day.
  
  
• Don’t assume drivers see you: signal well in advance before changing lanes and watch for turning vehicles.
  
  
• Although lane splitting is legal, the practice is not encouraged at high speeds in free-flowing traffic.

The local traffic operations come as injuries and fatalities involving motorcycles have been steadily rising across the U.S., as motorcycles become an increasingly popular form of transportation.

Motorcyclists are 28 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled and five times more likely to be injured, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports.