LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As cooler weather approaches and more riders take to the road, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Harley-Davidson partnered to offer a free motorcycle safety training course.
WATCH | Malik Patterson talked with residents who attended the training and officials about motorcycle safety on the roadway:
Motorcycle fatalities are already on the rise in Clark County. According to LVMPD, 83 people have died on Las Vegas roads so far this year, with 21 of them being motorcycle riders. Police say the majority were unlicensed.
People of all ages attended Saturday's free training, some just to find out if riding is something they truly want to pursue.
Celina Vidos, a Las Vegas resident who had never ridden before, said the experience was welcoming.
"It was very safe, and I didn't even know because I've never been on the handle of a motorcycle," Vidos said. "So I was like, 'Hey, why not?'"
Melissa Lewis and Vidos said they signed up because they wanted to learn the right way to ride. Lewis said instructors made participants feel comfortable before getting on a motorcycle.
"He explains to you the brakes, the drainage, the shift here," Lewis said. "You just start slow."
Steve Ritchey, manager of the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy, said motorcycle riders should take at least one class, because even experienced riders can learn something new.
"I've been riding for 10 years, and I just decided to get my license, and I didn't know that," Ritchey said. "I didn't know the things you talked about in class. I wasn't aware of."
The goal of the course is straightforward — education helps lower the risk of accidents.
"That's why we take education serious when we're doing something as risky as riding a motorcycle," Ritchey said.
Sgt. Braden Winder with LVMPD said one of the biggest factors in deadly crashes is speed.
"People need to slow down, motorcycles need to slow down, other cars need to slow down," Winder said. "Just pay attention."
While Saturday's free course was the last one of the year, organizers said anyone interested in learning to ride can stop by a shop and ask about training at any time.
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