In West Valley, there were two auto-bike and two auto-motorcycle accidents in May of 2007. In May of this year, there were four auto-bicycle accidents and five auto-motorcycle collisions.

Salt Lake City has seen only a small increase in the number of auto-bicycle accidents from May of 2007 to May of 2008. There were 15 accidents last year compared to 16 this year, said Salt Lake police detective Jeff Bedard.

"Certainly I think there are more people looking at other modes of transportation," he said. "We are seeing more people riding motorcycles due to fuel costs."

But many of the "new" motorcycle riders on the road are inexperienced, creating a greater possibility for accidents this year, Bedard said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Salt Lake said there were 17 motorcycle fatalities on Utah's freeways through June 16 and before the month was out, another person had died in a collision. Last year, through June 16 there were 16 motorcycle fatalities.

The NHTSA noted, however, that the number of auto-motorcycle accidents started to pick up around the middle of June this year, about the same time weather warmed up and spring rain stopped.

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