How Many People Died in Motorcycle Accidents Each Year?
Thousands of people die in motorcycle accidents each year, and these fatalities have reached an all-time high. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tracks these fatalities and provides the public with information on how many people have died in motorcycle crashes each year. This data can help improve safety and develop new equipment and features.
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According to NHTSA, motorcycle accidents are 29 times more likely to result in a fatal injury than car accidents. This is because motorcyclists have a lower level of protection and are less stable than cars. If a motorcycle crashes, the rider is also four times more likely to be injured.
Head-on collisions are the most common type of motorcycle crash. These accidents often result from the driver of the other vehicle not seeing the motorcyclist. Another type of collision that is more common than head-on collisions is a crash that occurs with a fixed object, such as a bridge abutment. Of these collisions, about one-quarter involve fatalities.
In addition to these factors, motorcycles also have a higher injury rate than other vehicles. In the United States, motorcycles account for only three percent of the total number of registered vehicles. Nevertheless, motorcycle fatalities are more common than car fatalities. Motorcycle fatalities have risen every year for the last decade. This is because motorcycles are more popular than ever.
The fatality rate of motorcycles increased by 9% from January to February. There were over 5,500 motorcyclists who died in crashes in 2020. Motorcycle accidents account for 14% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
The age group that was most likely to be involved in a fatal accident was 25-34 years old. In 1975, this group accounted for 80 percent of fatally injured motorcyclists. In 2010, however, this group accounted for less than half of all motorcyclist fatalities.
Motorcycle fatalities are also more likely to occur in urban areas than in rural areas. Two-thirds of motorcycle deaths occurred on major roads other than freeways. In addition, fatalities occurred almost equally between daytime and nighttime hours.
More than one-fifth of fatal motorcycle accidents involved alcohol. In addition, motorcycle crashes are significantly more likely to involve multiple vehicles than car accidents. Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is lane splitting. Some states prohibit lane splitting. In other states, lane splitting is legal.
Almost two-thirds of motorcyclist fatalities occurred in head-on collisions. These collisions are also less likely than side or back collisions. However, motorcyclists are often hit when they try to turn. Vehicles may also fail to yield the right of way to motorcyclists.
When calculating the fatality rate for motorcycles, the NHTSA used information on how many fatalities and injuries were recorded in each year from 2010 through 2019. The rates were compared to the number of registered motorcycles. This was done by calculating how many fatalities occurred per 10,000 registered motorcycles.
Motorcycle fatalities are more common in warmer weather states. Arkansas has a fatality rate that is four times higher than the rate in the northern states. Louisiana also has a high rate of motorcycle deaths. In the cold-weather states, the fatality rate is less than half that of the southern states.