There have been more than a dozen fatal motorcycle crashes in the Lehigh Valley so far this year, three of them happening in a single weekend earlier this month.
Following those recent crashes, and with several more months of expected motorcycle activity on the road before the weather turns colder, drivers and motorcyclists are urged to be extra cautious and informed while they share the roads in the Lehigh Valley.
“We just ask both motorcycle operators and vehicle operators to work together to maintain safe roadways,” state Trooper Nathan Branosky said.
There were eight fatal motorcycle crashes in Lehigh County and six in Northampton County as of mid-August, according to information from both county coroners’ offices. Three of them happened the first weekend in August. A Stroudsburg motorcyclist died Friday following a motorcycle crash in Monroe County.
Branosky said state police have investigated 30 reportable motorcycle crashes in both counties in the first half of the year, putting it about on par with what troopers investigated about this time last year. In those crashes, half the time the motorcyclist was at fault, while in the other half, the driver of another vehicle was at fault, he said.
Bill McQuilken, chairman of the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force, said it’s a two-way street when it comes to road safety for motorcyclists. Drivers and motorcyclists need to be aware of each other and the rules of the road, he said.
“[Motorcycle riders are] totally unprotected compared to us in a motor vehicle that are totally protected in that motor vehicle,” McQuilken said.
Motorists should be aware of motorcyclists on the road, and should allow a decent distance between them. Motorcyclists should be aware that drivers might not see them on the road.
“If you hit a motorcyclist from behind, it’s a lot different than hitting a vehicle from behind,” said McQuilken, who also is a trauma prevention coordinator for Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health.
Branosky said the main contributing factors in the crashes troopers have investigated are motorcyclists driving too fast or passing vehicles carelessly. The crashes involving high speed tend to be on highways, whereas careless-passing crashes tended to happen on more rural roads where drivers are not legally allowed to pass another vehicle, he said.
PennDOT data showed just under a third of all serious motorcycle crashes in the Lehigh Valley between 2016 and 2024 were speeding-related.
McQuilken noted that one of the most common ways a motorcyclist can crash is by riding in between cars, which puts them in the blind spots of other vehicles.
“They can get killed doing that,” he said.
The past two years marked the highest number of serious motorcycle crashes in the Lehigh Valley since 2016, with 59 reported in 2024 and 2023. There were 406 serious motorcycle crashes between 2016 and 2024 in Lehigh and Northampton counties, according to PennDOT data.
The data also shows those crashes have steadily increased statewide every year since at least 2016; the highest was 1,111 crashes in 2023.
People tend to ride motorcycles through at least the fall, and with some time still left, McQuilken said there are some ways riders can protect themselves on the road in the coming months.
He encouraged riders to wear protective gear, including helmet, gloves and a leather jacket, all of which can prevent more serious injury in high-speed crashes. “Road rash is very unforgiving,” he said.
They should think about staying visible by doing things such as avoiding other vehicles’ blind spots and by keeping their headlights on. McQuilken also recommended they wear reflective clothing.
“It just adds a little bit of visibility to other drivers,” he said.
Motorcyclists are well-rested before they go out riding on their bikes, and they should be aware of any major roadwork or weather that could impede their ride, McQuilken said.
“It doesn’t take much to spill that bike,” he said.
Riders should do a spot check of their motorcycle before they head out, McQuilken said. Additionally, he said it’s important that they are sober before riding. Riding requires a lot of concentration, he said, and they need to focus and be aware of things that pop up, like a deer running in front of them.
“We just don’t want anyone driving impaired while they’re out on the road,” he added.
McQuilken recommended motorcyclists take the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program course offered through PennDOT. While not necessary, those who complete it will not have to take a skills test at a license center, and permit holders automatically will get their motorcycle license, according to PennDOT.
The course teaches motorcyclists how to drive defensively on the road, he said.
“It’s a valuable training,” McQuilken said.
More information on the program may be found on the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program website.
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