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Fatal Motorcycle Crashes On The Rise: 'Understand The Riding Season'

LARIMER COUNTY , Colo. (CBS4) - A deadly motorcycle accident occurred in Brighton Wednesday morning. Police say the driver of a small SUV caused the wreck by turning in front of the motorcycle.

It was the second deadly motorcycle crash in Colorado in as many days. Authorities say crashes involving motorcycles are becoming far too common. Motorcyclists make up just 3 percent of vehicles on the road but account for 18 percent of overall fatalities. Now transportation officials are getting creative to try to curb the trend.

This summer the Colorado Department of Transportation is using a new ad campaign to encourage motorcycle safety. Pandora audio spots and videos are meant to reach motorists with a message about the dangers that increase during summer months.

"I think it does help and I think it brings awareness," Sgt. Bart Trippel with the Colorado State Patrol said of the ads.

Trippel says more motorcycles obviously hit Colorado's roadways during summer.

"Riding a motorcycle is a skill like anything else, and its perishable," he said.

Motorcycle fatal crash
Copter4 flew over investigators at the scene of a deadly motorcycle crash on I-25 near the Mead exit (credit: CBS)

This year there have been more than 45 fatal crashes involving motorcyclists in Colorado with two in just the last 24 hours -- one on Interstate 25 near Mead and the other on Highway 85 in Brighton. In both crashes the motorcyclists died while the people in the vehicles escaped unharmed.

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Copter4 flew over the crash scene where a motorcyclist was killed in Brighton on Wednesday morning (credit: CBS)

"Drivers in cars should simply understand the riding season, and if they are around the motorcycle give that motorcycle a little bit of room, understand that the motorcycle is faster than them, more nimble and can brake quicker," Trippel said.

For drivers, that means leaving more space behind a motorcyclist.

As for motorcyclists, Trippel says taking a training class can significantly improve the chances of avoiding a crash.

Another statistic that really illustrates the need for safety is that in a crash motorcyclist fatalities occur 26 times more frequently than with passenger car occupants.

LINK: Motorcycle Crash Statistics For Larimer County In 2015

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