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Motorcycle safety event Friday at Pentagon

The National Capital Region Joint Service Motorcycle Safety Event will take place Friday and Saturday at the Pentagon.

Military and civilian motorcycle riders are invited to attend the event at the Pentagon’s north parking lot beginning at 8 a.m. Friday.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters will provide the opening remarks, and Catherine Bell of the television series “Army Wives” will make an appearance.

Twenty soldiers were killed in motorcycle accidents in the first six months of this fiscal year, more than double the number of soldiers killed on motorcycles during the same period last year. The 20 fatalities included 14 soldiers killed on powerful sport bikes built for speed and generally favored by younger soldiers, according to data from the Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Ala.

The youngest group of soldiers killed — those between the ages of 18 and 24 — accounted for six of the fatalities. Nine of the deaths were among soldiers 25 to 32 and the rest were older.

Overall, 93 service members were killed in motorcycle accidents last year.

This weekend’s event will include a motorcycle skills demonstration, a motorcycle rodeo and a motorcycle rally.

For more information or motorcycle registration, visit www.upcomingevents.ctc.com.