DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Daytona Beach Police Department is looking to crack down on violators to improve motorcycle safety.

  • City commission expected to sign off on $55K FDOT grant
  • Grant will be used to help reduce motorcycle crashes
  • As part of grant application, officers indicated they will issue citations

Daytona Beach ranks third out 101 mid-sized Florida cities in serious motorcycle-involved crashes.

In 2017, there were 237 motorcycle crashes with 12 people killed. Last year, there were 227 motorcycle crashes, and six people were killed.

The city commission on Wednesday is expected to sign off on a $55,000 Florida Department of Transportation grant to help reduce the number of motorcycle crashes.

"It's going to help us out by providing money to use for overtime so we can work traffic enforcement in areas we've identified as problem areas," said Police Chief Craig Capri.

Police will be looking for bikers or drivers who are putting themselves or other motorcyclists in danger.

Operations will take place at least once a week with one supervisor and six officers working overtime to crack down on violators.

Those operations will ramp up to become daily during major events like Biketoberfest and Bike Week.

A heads up to everyone on the roads, in their grant application to FDOT, police officers indicate they will issue at least a thousand citations as a part of this operation.

If approved at the city commission meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m., then Capri would like to begin those operations as soon as next week.