National Motorcycle Accident and Injury Statistics

It’s a frightening fact: per mile traveled, the number of deaths on motorcycles was 26 times the number of deaths in cars in 2013 (NHTSA). Here are a number of other accident and injury statistics of note:

• 55 percent of motorcycle drivers killed during nighttime hours had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or above. If that’s not enough to get you to put down your drink, I don’t know what is!
• Of the fatalities among touring motorcycles, cruisers, or standard motorcycles, only about half were wearing helmets. About 75% of supersport drivers were helmeted.
• 59 percent of fatalities occurred among motorcyclists wearing helmets. Only 49 percent of passenger fatalities were wearing helmets.
• In states with laws that require all riders to wear helmets, 91 percent of fatalities were helmeted. This is in huge contract to just 24 percent in states with no helmet law.
• 91 percent of motorcyclists killed were males, but 94 percent of passenger deaths were females.
• 42 percent of all fatalities among motorcyclists occurred in single-vehicle crashes.
• 26 percent of fatalities occurred among motorcyclists operating without a valid driver’s license. This number is up 17 percent from 2011.
• A total of 4,381 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2013. This number has held fairly stable for the past few years.
• The percentage of fatally injured motorcyclists age 50 and older has increased substantially from just 3 percent in 1982 to 34 percent in 2013.
• Motorcycle deaths accounted for 13 percent of the fatalities from vehicular accidents in 2013 and were more than double the amount of motorcycle deaths in 1997.
• Engine sizes are going up dramatically – 31 percent of motorcyclists killed in accidents were driving bikes with engines larger than 1400 cc, compared to just 9 percent in 2000.

These staggering statistics tell a story: bikers who wear helmets and do not use alcohol are clearly safer and are less likely to be in a motorcycle accident. Enjoy biking responsibly! Never drink and drive, and always wear a helmet and protective gear. Unfortunately, being safe won’t prevent all motorcycle accidents. If an accident does occur, call the lawyers who know bike accidents best– call Kass & Moses.

(The information from this post appeared in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute 2013 report.)