Motorcycle crashes have claimed the lives of at least five people in two Maryland counties since the beginning of this month. News4’s Joseph Olmo reports.
A motorcycle rider was killed in a crash in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on Tuesday night, and he’s one of five motorcyclists to be killed in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties this month so far.
The motorcyclist was involved in a crash with a car at Woodyard Road and Perrywood Road, Prince George’s County police said. The car’s driver was headed north. A second driver headed south also was involved, police said. Officers responded at about 9:45 p.m. The motorcyclist’s name was not immediately released, pending notification of his family.
Just 12 days into June, motorcycle crashes have claimed the lives of three riders in Montgomery County and two riders in Prince George’s County.
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Ragina Ali of AAA says the deadly crashes make her fearful about the safety of motorcyclists. Her husband is a motorcyclist and she’s sometimes a passenger.
She pointed to the need for drivers and motorcyclists to work to share the road.
“No lane splitting. Sometimes you’ll see motorcyclists, especially if traffic is slow or congested, sort of driving on the shoulder or splitting in between the lanes. That’s illegal,” Ali said.
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For drivers, she said: “Just be mindful that motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable. They don’t have metal surrounding them to keep them safe. They’re not enclosed.”
AAA cited statistics from the National Safety Council showing that though motorcycles make up just 3% of registered vehicles in the U.S., people riding motorcycles account for about 15% of traffic deaths.
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The data is another reminder, Ali said, of why it’s so important to stay alert on the road.
An investigation into the deadly motorcycle crash in Upper Marlboro on Tuesday is ongoing, police said. Information was not immediately released on its potential cause. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
