The death of a Norfolk man in a motorcycle accident in Franklin County this past weekend has focused attention on motorcycle safety.

Ricky Aslanian was killed when his bike left Rt. 30 Saturday afternoon. There has been no suggestion that he was riding unsafely, but the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program has issued some statistics that show a rising trend in deaths due to motorcycle accidents, and has issued some safety tips.

Some troubling trends involving motorcycles on the nation’s highways are showing up, according to the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program and a recent state study.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) recently released results of a study predicting that when statistics for 2012 are compiled, they will show more than 5,000 motorcycle fatalities nationwide, up about nine percent from 2011. The projections are based on early numbers from the first nine months of 2012.

While 2012 statistics for St. Lawrence County are not yet available, numbers of motorcycle crashes for the years from 2009 to 2011 increased slightly, according to statistics from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. However, nearly all of the motorcycle crashes in St. Lawrence County during that period – 96 percent -- resulted in injury or death.

Generally highway deaths have been trending downward over the past several years, but 2012 showed an overall increase in fatalities. In contrast, motorcycle deaths have increased for 14 out of the last 15 years. The estimated increase in motorcycle deaths in 2012 represents 14.7 percent of overall traffic fatalities.

While some increases are explained by an increase in motorcycles on the road in an improving economy, the GHSA also cites several areas that should be addressed to improve safety. These include:

• Increase helmet use: While in New York State, motorcyclists must wear a helmet that has been approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Novelty helmets without the DOT sticker will not provide adequate prevention of brain injury. Approved helmets are proven to be 37 percent effective at preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle operators and 41 percent effective for passengers.

• Reduce alcohol impairment: In 2010, 29 percent of fatally injured riders had a blood alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit of .08, the highest of all motorists. Riders may be impaired at alcohol levels below the legal limit.

• Reduce speeding: According to the most recent data, 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, and almost half of these crashes did not involve another vehicle.

• Provide motorcycle operator training to all who need or seek it: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles waives the road test for those who successfully complete the courses developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

• Ensure motorcyclists are properly licensed: NHTSA data reveals that in 2010, 22 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes did not have a valid motorcycle license. This compares with twelve percent of passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes.

• Encourage all drivers to share the road with motorcyclists: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, when motorcycles crash with other vehicles, the latter usually violates the motorcyclist’s right of way. Motorists should learn to “look twice” for motorcycles, and give them plenty of space on the road.

For information about motorcycle safety, sharing the road with motorcycles, or rider training, contact the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program at 379-2306, or by e-mailing mdavison@stlawco.org.