NEW RICHLAND — One man is dead after the motorcycle he was riding collided with a sport-utility vehicle Saturday afternoon.

Jon C. Geibe, 56, of Morristown was northbound on Minnesota Highway 13 on a 2010 Harley-Davidson three miles north of New Richland in Waseca County when he collided head on with a southbound 2001 Jeep Cherokee driven by Mandy J. Kauffman, 34, of Waseca, according to a Minnesota State Patrol report.

The crash happened about 5 minutes after 3 p.m.

Which driver is at fault isn’t determined. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, the State Patrol report states.

Kauffman suffered no apparent injuries, the State Patrol reports. She was wearing her seat belt, and an air bag deployed. She had no passengers. Alcohol was not involved.

New Richland Fire & Rescue assisted the State Patrol at the crash site.

 

August deadliest month for riders

August had 11 rider deaths, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Motorcycle Safety Center preliminary reports. This time in 2011 there were 29 rider deaths.

May and July follow August for the deadliest rider months — each had seven rider fatalities. There have been 40 deaths this year so far.

Motorcyclist fatalities are 17 percent of the total 238 traffic fatalities this year. Of the state’s 368 traffic fatalities in 2011, 42 were riders, which accounted for 11 percent of Minnesota’s total traffic deaths.

MMSC Program Coordinator Bill Shaffer encouraged motorists to share the road and look twice for motorcycles in traffic as the autumn riding season can be just as deadly.

“Riders must shoulder responsibility for protecting themselves. Ride sober, keep your speed in check, and make yourself visible to drivers,” Shaffer said.

He emphasized the need for riders to get training.

The cost of fuel is one of the reasons more people are choosing to ride motorcycles. Ridership is at record-high levels in Minnesota, with nearly 230,000 registered motorcycles and more than 404,000 licensed operators.

DPS offers these safety tips for motorists and riders to ensure a safe riding environment:

• Motorists are advised to watch for motorcycles and always look twice before entering a roadway or changing lanes.

• Riders are advised to wear protective gear, pay attention and ride sober. DPS advises that riders take safety training courses. More information can be found at www.motorcyclesafety.org.

• Travel at safe speeds and stay focused on driving. Speeding and inattention are the two most-cited contributing factors in motorcycle crashes.