Motorcycle fatality on State Route 108
A 53 year old Shelton man died on Sunday after crossing the center lane just outside of McCleary. The man was riding his 1978 Honda motorcycle Sunday afternoon on SR 108 when he crossed the center lane and struck a 2005 Ford Excursion head on.
Washington State Patrol says the man died at the scene. Both vehicles were totaled and impounded after the accident. The 53 year old did not have a motorcycle endorsement.
The accident is under investigation.
The Washington State Patrol says that motorcycle fatalities are on the rise as summer approaches and it is no longer primarily the other driver causing the collision. So far in 2012 there have been 13 motorcycle fatalities with 11 of those caused by the rider and not another vehicle. This is a trend over the past several years they say, where the majority of motorcycle collisions were caused by rider error.
They say the single biggest cause of motorcycle fatalities in Washington is excessive speed and inexperienced drivers exceeding their skill level.
