Motorcycle crashes kill 8 Minnesota riders in 8 days

Eight motorcycle riders have died on Minnesota roads since Aug. 30, a stretch of fatal crashes public safety officials call alarming.

The latest was a 57-year-old Eagan man who died after he swerved to avoid a truck, then struck another vehicle on Highway 55 in Rosemount.

Bill Shaffer, motorcycle safety coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, said a few of these crashes involved other vehicles failing to yield, the most-cited crash factor in multi-vehicle crashes. In others, the riders lost control and went off the road, he said.

There were a total of 10 motorcycle fatalities last month, compared to six in August 2016, according to the DPS. So far in 2017 there have been 45 motorcycle deaths, compared to 39 at this time last year.

Although many people associate motorcycles with summer, Shaffer said fall is a popular time for motorcycle riders who like to see the autumn colors.

"I think it's easy later in the season after you've had a good year of riding to let your guard down," Shaffer said. "But riders really need to maintain their vigilance at these high-crash areas, such as intersections."

Speed was a factor in a few of the fatal crashes, Shaffer said. Four involved a motorcycle striking a deer.

"We're not even in real prime time deer season," he said. "So that's another hazard that riders need to be expecting for and keeping their speeds in check for."

Shaffer recommends riders watch their speed, wear helmets and be vigilant at intersections. Other drivers should look twice before turning left, pulling onto a road or changing lanes, he said.

"It's just a really bad stretch we're in right now, and it's tragic for these riders and their families," Shaffer said.