A 45-year-old motorcyclist died Thursday night after crashing into a tree along NW LaFrambois Road in Vancouver, according to police. Officers responded at about 8 p.m. and found the rider with injuries that were not survivable, and emergency crews pronounced the person dead at the scene. The roadway was temporarily blocked while investigators documented the crash.
Vancouver Police told KPTV that investigators believe the rider missed a curve while traveling at high speed, left the roadway and struck a tree. The department said the crash remains under investigation, with the Traffic Unit leading the probe.
Statewide motorcycle safety trends
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission reports that motorcycles make up about 3% of crashes statewide but account for a disproportionately high share of traffic deaths. As outlined by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, preliminary 2025 figures show a decrease in motorcyclist fatalities compared with 2024, although officials warn that speeding and a lack of training or proper endorsement remain common contributing factors.
What Vancouver’s data show
According to the City of Vancouver Local Road Safety Plan, the city recorded 39 fatal traffic crashes between 2020 and 2024 and saw fatal crashes peak in 2024 with 12 deaths. The plan calls for targeted engineering, enforcement and outreach on high-crash corridors to help cut down on speed-related collisions and severe injuries…