It’s a startling, heartbreaking statistic: Oahu has tallied a high motorcycle fatality count — nine in the past month, as of Friday. As of Thursday, 25 fatalities overall had been logged so far this year, compared to 18 at this point in 2022.

Speed was a factor in most of the motorcycle deaths. Honolulu police officials said that with proper awareness of weather and road conditions, the crashes were avoidable. Their preventability through simple attention to risks is what amplifies the tragedy.