COLORADO SPRINGS — In the wake of 3 fatal crashes this weekend involving motorcycles, the Colorado State Patrol says the timing isn't a coincidence.
"There's certainly an influx at the beginning of every Summer as motorcycle riders come back out," said Trooper Aaron Luptin. He attributes that to warmer weather bringing out more people to Colorado Springs.
Now, he and a local rider are encouraging drivers and motorcyclists to take the shared responsibility for safety on the roads.
Doug Zurek has been riding motorcycles for the last 14 years and says it has a special place in his heart. He's even founded Riders 4 Children, a nonprofit organizing group rides to support critically ill children in Colorado.
"A lot of people don't realize what goes into keeping those families close," he says.
One constant in Zurek's life? Seeing his friends get involved in accidents.
"Some of them have been on the worst sides and haven't made it. A lot of it you don't have control over," he told me.
Zurek recommends riders focus on controlling what they can: how visible they are on the roadways, dressing for safety, thinking clearly while riding, and knowing how to use a bike.
"As far as the drivers, operators of motorcycles go, they don't have to wear a helmet. It is a great idea to wear a helmet, a lot of the serious crashes we're covering involve people that chose not to wear a helmet, and they're in a worse situation because they chose not to do that," said Trooper Luptin.
He recommends that drivers check their blind spots, stay attentive on the road, and plan enough time to get to your destination.
"We don't need to be going over the speed limit to get where we're getting to," Luptin said. "That's when we have those very serious crashes where people are choosing to knowingly disobey the law and go incredibly fast".
Riders 4 Children is hosting a riding event in July next month. On June 4th, the group will be meeting at Goat Patch Brewery to fundraise for their event.
Colorado recently passed a law legalizing what's known as "Lane Filtering," which is when motorcycles use the space between cars in traffic to pass.
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Rocky Ford Melons are on the way
Rocky Ford farmers have been making their way from the farm to a grocery store near you. Tag along for the harvest and see what the process is like that is a staple of the Lower Arkansas River Valley.
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