SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — As temperatures rise, so does the concern about the recent number of motorcycle crashes Utah has seen.
Public safety officials are warning about the dangers, especially going into this holiday season.
On Thursday, a person died after hitting a deer and then getting run over by another driver. We’ve also seen a 17-year-old killed just days before graduation, a couple of fatalities on State Street, and other tragic crashes.
MORE | Motorcycle crash
Officials say it’s a worrying trend.
Patrick Fitzgibbon has been riding and taking care of his bike for more than a decade.
“Anything that’s bothering me, it just kind of melts away on the back of a motorcycle,” he said.
Fitzgibbon started a YouTube channel called “2 Wheels over the Wasatch” to document his adventures through Utah’s beauty.
“You can drive a car throughout Utah and it’s still beautiful,” Fitzgibbon said. “But brother, if you’re on the back of a motorcycle, it’s something else.”
Although strikingly beautiful, the statistics say it’s also dangerous.
“When we look at fatalities year to date in 2025, we’re over 80% higher than we were last year on motorcycle fatalities,” said Jason Mettmann with the Utah Highway Safety Office.
Mettmann said these are concerning numbers.
“Hopefully we can make that go down,” Fitzgibbon said.
“It’s unacceptable. These folks are going to be missing from the BBQs this weekend,” Mettmann said. “These crashes are tragic and violent, and I’d much rather go to a BBQ than a funeral this weekend.”
Mettmann said if you are going to ride, whether it be during this holiday season or beyond, to wear your gear, take a safety course, and just be careful.
And if you’re a driver, keep a lookout.
“Think about your loved ones and think about those who depend on you before you make any of those decisions,” Fitzgibbon said. “It is a tragedy when one of your brothers goes down on the road.”
Mettmann said the Department of Public Safety is providing discounts to people who want to take a motorcycle safety course.
You can find those at https://ridetolive.utah.gov/.
_____
