Summer riding peaks, officials push motorcycle safety in Berks

As summer riding peaks, Berks County officials and safety groups urged better behavior from both motorcycle riders and motorists after crash data highlighted ongoing risk. From March to June, the county recorded 33 motorcycle-involved crashes, including one fatality, and this year has matched that total with two deaths. In Muhlenberg Township, the Highway Safety Network and Muhlenberg Township Police held an event at Jim Deitrich Park tied to PennDOT’s Live Free Ride Alive campaign, featuring Officers Sam Calabria and Jason Walters. The officials emphasized training, experience, and defensive riding, while noting that smaller motorcycles can be hidden in blind spots. Calabria cited inexperience as a major factor and referenced PennDOT’s free 80-hour certification program that can waive a skills test for permit holders. They also pointed to emerging hazards from high-speed e-bikes and e-scooters.