The Bellevue Police Department is asking community members in the city and across the region to help drive down serious traffic crashes involving motorcycles by practicing preventative measures that protect everyone while on the road.
This new effort comes as crashes involving a motorcycle in Bellevue have already surpassed last year’s collision numbers, including a DUI-related incident on June 3 where an impaired driver of a vehicle crashed into a motorcyclist on the 2800 block of 148th Ave NE as the motorcyclist was yielding to an ambulance. The motorcyclist was treated on scene and later taken to Overlake Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The incidents in Bellevue are following a nationwide trend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6,335 fatal crashes involving a motorcyclist in 2023, a rate 28 times higher than fatal vehicle crashes.
Both motorcyclists and vehicle drivers can do their part to prevent traffic crashes. The Bellevue Police Department and NHTSA recommend:
- Complete a training class prior to motorcycle use
- Update your state-issued license to reflect qualifications
- Observe all traffic laws and obey speed limits
- Do not drive while impaired
- Avoid all distractions (including cellphone use) while on the road
- Yield to motorcyclists while driving
- Wear high-visibility equipment and a DOT-compliant helmet while using a motorcycle
Additionally, Bellevue Police could hold motorcyclists accountable if they are found to have engaged in dangerous and unsafe practices while traveling on the road. This includes lane splitting and lane filtering while using a motorcycle in traffic – which is against state law according to RCW 46.61.608.
Bellevue Police asks all community members to contact law enforcement should they witness a vehicle driver or a motorcyclist threatening the safety of others while on the road. Should they witness a crash, community members should always call 911.
Bellevue Beat Blog 