A 22-year-old man is dead after losing control of his motorcycle on an Anthony Henday Drive ramp in south Edmonton on Sunday afternoon.
It's the second Edmonton motorcyclist killed in less than a week.
What police say happened
Officers were called just after 2:45 p.m. on Aug. 23 to a collision at Calgary Trail and Anthony Henday Drive.
A 2026 Honda CBR650R was travelling westbound on the Henday and was attempting to exit onto the Calgary Trail ramp when the rider lost control and was ejected from the bike, according to the Edmonton Police Service.
EMS treated him and took him to hospital, where he later died. No other vehicle was involved.
The EPS Major Collision Investigations Section is continuing to investigate. Police say speed is believed to be a factor.
The rider has not been publicly identified. EPS does not release the names of people killed in collisions.
The first one, four days earlier
At about 8:28 p.m. on Aug. 19, a 2017 Land Rover Range Rover was southbound on 34 Street in southeast Edmonton, turning east onto 64 Avenue. A motorcycle, also southbound on 34 Street, struck the rear of the SUV.
The 21-year-old rider died at the scene. The Range Rover's 44-year-old driver and her two passengers were not injured. Police say speed was a factor there as well.
Investigators are still looking for witnesses to that crash, or anyone with dashcam footage from the area. The number is 780-423-4567, or #377 from a mobile phone.
A season that had gone without one
Both deaths are the first motorcycle fatalities Edmonton has recorded in 2026.
That's the part police flagged. The riding season here runs from roughly spring thaw to first snow, and the city went through nearly all of it without losing a rider. In 2023, by comparison, Edmonton's first motorcycle death came on April 9.
Then two, days apart, at the end of August.
"It is incredibly unfortunate that the city's first two motorcycle fatalities of 2026 have occurred just days apart," said S/Sgt. Richard Windover of the Major Collision Investigations Section. "Our thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones affected by these tragic losses. As summer comes to an end, we are urging all motorists to slow down."
August is the worst month for this in Alberta
Alberta Transportation tracks motorcycle collisions across the province, and its 2023 report is direct about the timing: fatal or major injury collisions involving motorcycles occur most often in August.
The rest of the provincial data lines up closely with what happened in both crashes.
Riders under 25 have the highest involvement rate per 1,000 licensed motorcycle operators of any age group. Both riders killed this month were 21 and 22.
Motorcycle operators are also more likely than other drivers to run off the road, follow too closely, or make an improper turn. Sunday's rider lost control exiting a ramp. Wednesday's struck the back of a vehicle that was turning.
And most fatal and major injury motorcycle collisions in Alberta happen on dry roads, not wet or icy ones.
In 2023, 30 motorcyclists were killed on Alberta roads out of 298 traffic fatalities. Motorcyclists accounted for 7.8 per cent of people who suffered major injuries, well above motorcycles' share of vehicles on the road.
None of that explains either crash. Both investigations are ongoing. But it's the pattern the province records year after year: the worst month, the youngest riders, dry pavement, speed.
If you saw the Aug. 19 crash
MCIS is asking anyone who witnessed the collision at 34 Street and 64 Avenue, or who has dashcam footage from that area, to call EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at p3tips.com/250.
Sources
Edmonton Police Service, "Police investigating second fatal motorcycle collision of 2026," Aug. 24, 2026: https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/News/MediaReleases/MotorFatalAug24
Edmonton Police Service, "Police investigating fatal collision," Aug. 20, 2026: https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/News/MediaReleases/FatalityAug20
Alberta Transportation, Alberta Traffic Collision Statistics 2023 and Alberta Traffic Collision Facts 2023: https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/25020446-adfb-4b57-9aaa-751d13dab72d
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