The Mankato Free Press

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency

As soon as the Minnesota Department of Public Safety put out the information, it was outdated. Another motorcycle fatality occurred as safety officials were distributing data about the uptick of fatalities.

As of June 19, the department reported that 25 riders had died on Minnesota roads so far in 2015. That’s 56 percent more than this time last year when 16 motorcycle fatalities occurred. As soon as the data came out, there was another fatality, and at least one more after that.

Motorcycle crash statistics, of course, are going to climb in the spring, summer and fall when there are more riders out and about. The same can be said for bicycle fatalities, such as one in Mankato last week (as well as an another struck bicyclist who suffered an injury).

The more rural the area, the higher the chances of serious crashes when it comes to motorcycles. Seventeen of the 25 fatal cycle crashes happened in rural areas. Rider error is often a contributing factor the department said, citing that 11 of the fatalities involved cyclists negotiating curves.

Although motorcycle incidents often involve cyclists striking deer, which are so abundant in the state, motorists also hit cyclists more than they should. A second vehicle failing to yield was cited in three of the fatal crashes in 2015.

The chance of motorists hitting motorcycles and bicyclists climbs as the number of distracted drivers increases. Is returning a text or phone call worth a life? One driver with firsthand experience says no. A South Dakota motorist was calling his bank when he struck and killed a mom pulling a bike trailer near Luvurne in southwestern Minnesota last year. He spoke out at a news conference this month: “Now, every time I see somebody on their phone, it makes me sick. It makes me think, I hope you don’t do what I did.”

He has to live with his poor decision. But other motorists can take notice and learn from his tragic mistake.