Fatal motorcycle crashes up 30 percent in 2022: Minnesota DPS gives safety tips

A woman is dead and a man is in the hospital after the motorcycle they were on collided with a deer Monday night in Dakota county. 

This year deadly motorcycle crashes are up across Minnesota.

“Unfortunately the motorcycle community has suffered significantly more fatalities,” Jay Bock, Motorcycle Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. “I believe they are up about 30%, so that is not a trend we like to see and it’s certainly concerning.”

The state says there are three things every driver every rider should know to stay safe on the road.

“Wear your gear,” Bock said. “Ride safe, so stay within your limits and ride your ride. The second thing I would say is know how to stop the motorcycle so practice those situations in stopping quickly. Lastly, I would really invest in my corners. I would try to become the best rider I can around corners.”

The state recommends riders take a training class every spring.

“It’s a renew every year because we hadn’t ridden from anywhere from five months to seven months in Minnesota, so you got to get back out there and get acclimated to your motorcycle,” Bock said.