Essex County near top of OPP list for fatal motorcycle crashes

Essex County OPP emphasize the importance of motorcycle safety due to the high number of fatalities. CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru reports.

At Windsor Chopper, motorcycles involved in serious and fatal crashes come through the doors far too often.

Mechanic Pat Meloche knows some of the riders personally — friends who didn’t make it home. Six years ago, one of his co-workers was killed after a transport truck veered into their line and struck the motorcycle they were riding.

Meloche has nearly been a victim of a motorcycle-involved collision himself.

During his daily rides between his home in Leamington and workplace in Windsor, Meloche says he experiences five close calls every week where his motorcycle narrowly misses being struck by a vehicle.

“I’ve lost a lot of friends in the last few years,” said Meloche, who has been riding motorcycles for 42 years.

His warning comes as Essex County ranks second in Ontario for fatal motorcycle crashes on OPP-patrolled roads over the past decade. According to the Ontario Provincial Police, 20 motorcyclists have died in the Essex Country patrol region since 2014.

Two of those deaths happened in 2024 — a year that saw 57 motorcyclist fatalities across Ontario, the highest total in two decades on roads monitored by the OPP.

These figures do not include city streets. In response to a CTV News inquiry, the Windsor Police Service said it has investigated 24 motorcycle-related fatalities since 2002.

At Windsor Chopper, Meloche is working on a motorcycle with visible front damage and a dented gas tank. The latter damage was caused when the rider, who survived the collision, was thrown forward during impact.

“Bikers can’t be complacent,” Meloche said. “They always have to be aware of their surroundings at all times.”

Const. Chris Ciliska with the OPP said drivers often don’t see motorcycles until it’s too late.

“Approximately a third of these motorcycle collisions are intersection-related,” he said. “Motorists should always have a watchful eye out for motorcycles, given how difficult they are to see — especially at intersections.”

Meloche puts it bluntly: unsafe left turns often kill.

“I bet you 95 per cent of the fatalities are people making left-hand turns in front of us,” he said. “We’re just a speck. People just don’t see us. It’s a shame.”

He added distracted driving — whether from phones, daily stress, or zoning out — is also a major issue.

“Motorcycle riders make better car drivers because we’re always paying attention, making sure there’s no motorcycles,” he said. “The biggest thing is watching what’s around you.”

As for the OPP, they list excessive speed, inattention, alcohol or drug impairment, improper passing and failing to yield as key contributors to motorcycle crashes.

For Ciliska, motorcycle riders must priortize making themselves seen before heading out on the road.

“For motorcyclists themselves, they have to be as visible as possible and definitely have the safety equipment. Make sure the other drivers around are aware you’re there.”

According to the OPP, the 25 to 34 age group accounted for the most motorcyclist deaths in 2024, followed by those 65 to 74.

Meloche acknowledged some riders — especially newer ones — give motorcyclists a bad name.

“There’s a lot of weekend warriors that drive beyond their ability. You can always tell those guys that really shouldn’t be riding.” he said. “But seasoned riders — we’re beyond that. We watch what we’re doing.”

At the end of the day, Meloche said, the goal is simple.

“All we want to do is just get home. Get home from work. Get home to our families. That’s it.”