Motorcycles crashes on the rise

Deaths and injuries from motorcycle crashes in the state rose by nearly 50 percent from 1998 to 2005, and most of those crashes involved another vehicle, according to an analysis of California Highway Patrol crash data by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Motorcycle registration has also sharply increased since 1998. Some have bought motorcycles within the last few years to save money on their commutes as prices at the pump have soared.