A motorcycle rider in Aurora also just died on Wednesday from injuries sustained during a motorcycle crash on June 26, according to Joe Moylan, a spokesperson for Aurora Police Department. 

In the Aurora crash, the rider was not wearing a helmet, and in two of the Denver crashes, riders were not using helmets correctly, according to the Aurora and Denver police departments. 

Colorado’s District 5 — including Colorado Springs and its surrounding areas — experienced an especially high amount of fatal motorcycle crashes. 

Troopers investigated 18 serious injury or fatal crashes involving a motorcycle, and 61% of those riders had an endorsement and also wore a helmet. 

Colorado does not require those 18 years and older to wear a helmet, but wearing a helmet decreases the risk of death and brain injuries from motorcycle crashes, according to NHTSA. 

The organization estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of a crash fatality by 37%. 

However, not wearing a helmet or doing so improperly is not the only contributing factor to fatal motorcycle crashes.

“In addition to our metro areas, we also have a draw for riders on popular scenic routes around the state. Some leading causes of crashes we see include inexperience or overconfident riders, excessive speed, and impairment,” Trooper Gabriel Moltrer told the Denver Gazette in an email.

“It’s not the number of years you’ve owned a motorcycle that builds mastery. It’s the actual time spent learning how to control, corner, emergency brake and practice evasive maneuvers,” Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, also in a statement.

The State Patrol recommends taking Colorado’s Motorcycle Safety Operator Program, which helps riders learn about and practice motorcycle safety in a controlled environment.

Drivers of other vehicles should exercise caution around motorcyclists, making sure to check blind spots, look twice when turning on to a roadway, and avoid distractions while driving, according to a spokesperson for DPD.

In addition to motorcycle safety, riders should be aware of the new lane filtering law in Colorado, which goes into effect Aug. 7.

The law allows a two-wheeled motorcycle to pass another motor vehicle in the same lane under certain conditions.

The State Patrol listed the five rules for lane filtering:

• The vehicles a rider wants to pass must be at a complete stop

• The lane must be wide enough to fit the vehicle and the motorcycle while passing

• The motorcycle must go 15 mph or less

• The rider must pass safely and control the motorcycle

• The rider must pass on the left and not enter the oncoming traffic lane

Colorado joined five other states — Arizona, California, Hawaii, Montana, and Utah — in legalizing lane filtering, according to a news release from State Patrol.

“Lane filtering should help alleviate rear-end crashes with motorcycle drivers, and if done the right way, it shouldn’t be scary,” said O’Sullivan of Rider Justice. 

“This is a significant change for Colorado motorists and riders, so when this law goes into effect, we all need to practice it safely and with respect for one another,” a State Patrol spokesperson said in a news release.