Deadly start for Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in South Jersey
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is off to a deadly start in South Jersey, with two fatal crashes on May 1.
The accidents, which took the lives of two Cumberland County men, occurred hours apart in Fairfeld and Upper Deerfield.
Separately, an 85-year-old motorist died on May 1 in a Burlington County crash.
Safety advocates have noted persistently higher risks for motorcyclists.
Victim from Ocean County: Motorcyclist dies in crash with New Jersey State Police vehicle in Southampton
“Motorcycle riders continue to be overrepresented in fatal traffic crashes,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission.
Motorcycles bring enjoyment, high risk
Accidents killed 6,218 motorcyclists last year, representing 15 percent of traffic deaths, it said.
That was up from 5,932 deaths one year earlier, which had been the highest level since at least 1975.
"Per vehicle miles traveled in 2022, motorcyclists were about 22 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were four times more likely to be injured," said the NHTSA.
It urged motorcyclists "to make themselves visible, to use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets, and to always ride sober."
Drivers have a responsibility to stay alert for motorcyclists, it added.
The majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes “generally are caused when other drivers simply don’t see the motorcyclists," it said.
The first May 1 accident occurred around 9:50 a.m. on State Highway 49 in Fairfield, according to New Jersey State Police.
A preliminary investigation found a motorcycle crossed the center line and struck an oncoming minivan near milepost 27.5
The accident killed 38-year-old Nestor Rodriguez Jr. of Millville.
The second motorcycle crash occurred around 8:35 p.m. on State Highway 77 in Upper Deerfield.
Police said Angel Alicea Jr., 46, of Bridgeton, was killed when a minivan made a left turn into his path.
In the Burlington County crash, 85-year-old Vera Stockton of Southampton died in a two-vehicle collision around 9:20 a.m. on County Route 541 in Mount Holly, police said.
Stockton was removed from her vehicle by members of the Westampton Fire Departent. She was pronounced dead after being flown to Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
No other injuries were reported from the accidents.
All of the accidents were under investigation, police said.
Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Cumberland County men die in separate motorcycle accidents
