After a long downward trend, U.S. traffic deaths are on the rise again, and a key factor is the stubbornly high fatality toll among some of the most exposed people on the road: motorcyclists. Nevertheless, federal regulators have balked at requiring a safety measure that, many experts say, could save hundreds of bikers’ lives every year. Read more» 
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Last year was a bad one for motorcyclists, with a new estimate showing that 5,010 bikers were killed in crashes nationwide — the worst death toll in seven years. Cycle-related deaths remained flat in Arizona, but the state was in the top 10 for the percentage of motorcyclist fatalities, and Tucson is seeing more deadly crashes. Read more»
Motorcyclists who roll down Arizona highways agree that riding in the open air is one of life’s exhilarating experiences. But disagreements become sharp when the subject of whether to wear a helmet – or whether the state should mandate helmet use – is on the table. Read more»
After years of inaction, federal regulators are trying to crack down on the use of cheap novelty helmets linked to thousands of motorcycle crash deaths and injuries in recent years. Read more»
The results were tragic but not surprising last May when Suzanne Randa and her fiance, Thomas Donohoe, crashed while riding Donohoe’s Harley Davidson. Donohoe, who was wearing a helmet meeting federal safety standards, escaped injury and walked away from the accident. Randa, 49, who wore a so-called novelty helmet that was cheap and stylish but offered no real protection, died at the scene after the strap broke and her head slammed onto the pavement. Read more»
Saying that increased traffic congestion and a lack of training can be a deadly combination for motorcyclists, state officials are urging riders to get instruction and required licenses before taking to the roads. Read more»
In a highly touted safety achievement, deaths on the nation's roads and highways have fallen sharply in recent years, to the lowest total in more than a half-century. But motorcyclists have missed out on that dramatic improvement, and the news for them has been increasingly grim. Read more» 2
Rather than continuing to discourage off-road vehicle riders from leaving sanctioned roads, the U.S. Forest Service has proposed opening hundreds of miles of “user-generated” paths to recreational users. Read more»
In Arizona, 13 percent of vehicle fatalities involve motorcycle riders, but those riders only account for 2 percent of registered vehicles. Read more»
