At least 15 motorcyclists were killed in crashes across Rhode Island and Bristol County from May 1 through Oct. 12, a tally that averages roughly one death every 11 days, according to a review of crash reports. Five of the fatal crashes occurred in Bristol County, including in Raynham, New Bedford and Acushnet. Rhode Island recorded 10 motorcyclist deaths through Sept. 30, according to preliminary state crash data. In Raynham, 52-year-old Scott Piche of New Bedford died June 5 in a crash involving an SUV. The SUV driver was later charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation. Police said the driver’s license had been suspended in connection with a separate operating-under-the-influence case. Several deadly crashes also occurred in Rhode Island. In Johnston, 38-year-old Jason Packard died June 6 after his motorcycle collided with a flatbed trailer being towed by a pickup truck that was turning left into a driveway on Hartford Avenue, police said. William “Bill” Eldred, 80, of North Kingstown, was killed July 16 when a pickup struck his motorcycle on Frenchtown Road in East Greenwich, near the Park and Ride and a bridge construction project. Police said left turns into the Park and Ride were prohibited, though signs did not indicate that restriction. The latest publicly reported fatal motorcycle crash in Rhode Island occurred Sept. 18 in Coventry. Andrew Brailey, 30, died after a crash; its cause remains under investigation. Motorcyclists interviewed about the deaths pointed to traffic growth and driver distraction. “There’s more people. There’s more and more cars on the road,” rider David Pelcher said. Thomas Pelcher said texting and other in-car activities can keep drivers from noticing riders. The state’s preliminary count had already reached 10 deaths by the end of September, matching Rhode Island’s full-year total for 2025 and exceeding the eight recorded in 2024. The state’s highest total in the past five years was 15 deaths in 2023, so this year has not yet surpassed that mark.