LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- State police want to put the breaks on a disturbing trend.

"We are facing an alarming increase in fatalities involving motorcycles," said Troop G Commander Major William Sprague.

While statistics show hopping in your car has become much safer over the past decade, the number of motorcycle deaths in New York has doubled in that same time period.

Just last week, a New Hampshire woman died after her bike hit a guard rail while she tried to merge onto I-87 in Latham.

"There's a lot less protection on a motorcycle. There's no metal of a vehicle around you, there's no seat belt, there's no airbag," Sprague said.

He said there are a number of reasons troopers are seeing more motorcycle accidents.

"There's an increased number of motorcycle riders. There's a lot of older riders who are getting new bikes who aren't familiar with them with the technological advances and speed and performance, and there's a lot of younger riders who are attracted to these types of bikes," Sprague said.

With weather warming, gas prices spiking, and Americade just around the corner, police don't see any of those trends changing soon.

"There are more motorcyclists on the road than ever before, and this is likely to increase with high gas prices," State Police Sgt. Daniel Larkey said.

If you plan on getting on a bike this weekend, be advised that state police are stepping up patrols, even setting up a mandatory checkpoint along the Northway.

"At the checkpoint, we're going to be checking for unsafe tires, illegal exhaust. We'll be making sure people have the right endorsement on their license which is a class M," State Police Sgt. James Halverson said.

They'll also be checking helmets, making sure every biker has a DOT certified head piece. Riders who aren't wearing any head gear, or even riders with novelty helmets, can expect a pretty pricey ticket.