On Tuesday morning at 5:00 AM, Idaho Falls Public Safety Dispatch received a report of an accident on the southbound on-ramp of Interstate 15 at Sunnyside Avenue / W. 33^rd South.
The driver of a silver Range Rover traveling westbound on Sunnyside was turning south onto the I-15 on-ramp when a motorcyclist traveling eastbound collided with the SUV. 

Idaho Falls Police arrived within minutes and began CPR in an attempt to revive the driver of the motorcycle, who was unresponsive. 

The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet and protective gear, but is presumed to have died on impact. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. The speed limit in the area is 50 miles per hour. The victim of the fatal accident is an 18-year-old man from Idaho Falls.

While the full analysis of the accident will take time to complete, police do not suspect alcohol was a factor. 

Traffic was blocked in the area for just under two hours.

As the weather gets warmer, more drivers are opting to ride motorcycles. Police want to remind the community to be alert, aware, and to avoid distractions while driving, especially since motorcyclists are sometimes difficult to see. 

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows:

Motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69%.

Motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of death by 37%.

The United States could save more than $1 billion in economic costs each year if all motorcyclists wore helmets.

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Idaho Falls Police Department Contact:
Holly Cook 
Public Information Officer
Office: (208) 612-8655
ifpdpio@idahofallsidaho.gov

To make a report / give a tip, call dispatch: (208) 529-1200

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References from CDC article:

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Estimating lives and costs saved by motorcycle helmets with updated economic cost information (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 812 206). U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC; 2015. Available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812388. Accessed 12 April 2018. 
• Derrick AJ, Faucher LD. Motorcycle helmets and rider safety: A legislative crisis. Journal of Public Health Policy. 2009;30 (2):226–242.
• Liu BC, Ivers R, Norton R, et. al. Helmets for preventing injury in motorcycle riders. Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews. 2008;(1):CD004333. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004333.pub3