High number of deadly motorcycle crashes 'very alarming,' says OPP
30 fatal collisions on Ontario roads so far in 2017
Ontario Provincial Police say there has been a "very alarming" number of deadly motorcycle crashes so far in 2017.
With nearly four months remaining in 2017, there has been almost as many deaths as there were in 2016, which police said was the worst year for motorcycle fatalities in the last decade.
"We have had 30 motorcycle riders die in collisions already in 2017," said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. "That is very alarming considering last year, all year, we only had 36, which is 36 too many."
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Although it has been a wet summer, Schmidt said the majority of the collisions have happened in clear, dry conditions.
In a video posted Wednesday afternoon, Schmidt shared statistics about the circumstances around the deaths:
- 27 riders were driving the motorcycle
- 3 riders were passengers
- 10 riders were between the ages of 45 and 54
- 7 riders were between the ages of 55 and 64
He also noted that, to his knowledge, all of the riders were wearing a helmet.
Alcohol, excessive speed or losing control of the vehicle are just some of the factors in the collisions.
"[They are] all preventable factors that we don't want to see happening," said Schmidt.