With the Victoria Day long weekend quickly approaching, OPP are warning the public to be extra cautious while operating motorcycles and off-road vehicles.
Provincial police are calling it a concerning trend, as the number of off-road vehicle and motorcycle deaths are on the rise. They say ORV deaths alone have reached a four-year high.
In 2013, 20 people died in ORV incidents – 13 of those were attributed to a lack of helmet use and nine to alcohol consumption. Compare that to 2012, where OPP responded to 12 incidents.
It’s a similar situation for motorcycle deaths. Last year, OPP attended to 28 motorcycle fatalities. That’s up from 26 in 2012 and 21 in 2011. Police say the factors behind these collisions mirror those in off-road incidents. However, in some cases these collisions were a result of another driver.
It’s because of these trends that OPP want operators to drive and ride safely.
