Did you know......Motorcyclists are 25 times more likely to experience a deadly accident on the road than those in passenger cars?

The Facts
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Motorcyclists are 25 times more likely experience a deadly accident on the road than those in passenger cars.
• In 2006, 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in highway accidents alone.
• In 2006, 4,810 motorcyclists were killed in road accidents.
• 11 percent of all roadway accidents that occur in the United States involve motorcycles.
• Head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes.
• A motorcyclist not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to die of a head injury than one who wears a helmet.
• A motorcyclist not wearing a helmet is 15 percent more likely to suffer a nonfatal injury than one who wears a helmet.
• It is estimated that helmets reduce the likelihood of a crash fatality by 37 percent.
• In 2007, a total of 7.1 million motorcycles were registered in the U.S.
• In 2005, the motorcycle fatality rate was 73 per 100,000 registered motorcycles; meanwhile, the passenger vehicle fatality rate in the same year was 14 per 100,000 registrations.
• Motorcycle use is growing disproportionally to fatality growth.  For instance, in 1997 there were 3,826,373 motorcycles registered in the U.S. and 2,116 motorcycle fatalities.  In 2005, there were 6,227,146 motorcycles registered in the U.S. and 4,810 motorcycle fatalities.  So, between 1997 and 2005, registrations grew 63 percent while fatalities more than doubled.

A 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute report found that:

• More than half of motorcyclist deaths involved at least one other vehicle.
• 42 percent of two-vehicle fatal motorcycle crashes involved a vehicle turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.
• A little less than half of all motorcycle driver deaths involved no other vehicle.
• Of the1,791 motorcycle deaths that involved only the motorcyclist
  • 48 percent were speeding.
  • 42 percent had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 percent or higher.
  • 655,000 motorcycles were purchased, a decrease from 1.1 million in 2008.

  Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  ">Photo courtesy DAN FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Possible Causes of a Motor Vehicle Accidents

• Poor weather conditions;
• Not utilizing a turn signal;
• Lane splitting, i.e. when a motorcyclist drives between two lanes;
• Ignoring traffic conditions;
• Ignoring traffic signs;
• Disobeying speed limitations;
• Driving on the wrong side of the road;
• Not seeing a motorcyclist due to glare or other view obstructions;
• Inexperienced motorists;
• Driving while under the influence of drugs;
• Vehicle defects;
• Roadway defects;
• Intentional hostile actions.

Motorcycle Accidents: Statistics and Possible Causes

• In 2006, 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in highway accidents alone.
• In 2006, 4,810 motorcyclists were killed in road accidents.
• 11 percent of all roadway accidents that occur in the United States involve motorcycles.
• Head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes. 
• A motorcyclist not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to die of a head injury than one who wears a helmet.
• A motorcyclist not wearing a helmet is 15 percent more likely to suffer a nonfatal injury than one who wears a helmet.
• It is estimated that helmets reduce the likelihood of a crash fatality by 37 percent.
• In 2007, a total of 7.1 million motorcycles were registered in the U.S.
• In 2005, the motorcycle fatality rate was 73 per 100,000 registered motorcycles; meanwhile, the passenger vehicle fatality rate in the same year was 14 per 100,000 registrations.
• Motorcycle use is growing disproportionally to fatality growth.  For instance, in 1997 there were 3,826,373 motorcycles registered in the U.S. and 2,116 motorcycle fatalities.  In 2005, there were 6,227,146 motorcycles registered in the U.S. and 4,810 motorcycle fatalities.  So, between 1997 and 2005, registrations grew 63 percent while fatalities more than doubled.

A 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute report found that:

• More than half of motorcyclist deaths involved at least one other vehicle.
• 42 percent of two-vehicle fatal motorcycle crashes involved a vehicle turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.
• A little less than half of all motorcycle driver deaths involved no other vehicle.
• Of the1,791 motorcycle deaths that involved only the motorcyclist
  • 48 percent were speeding.
  • 42 percent had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 percent or higher.
  • 655,000 motorcycles were purchased, a decrease from 1.1 million in 2008.

Possible Causes of a Motor Vehicle Accidents

• Poor weather conditions;
• Not utilizing a turn signal;
• Lane splitting, i.e. when a motorcyclist drives between two lanes;
• Ignoring traffic conditions;
• Ignoring traffic signs;
• Disobeying speed limitations;
• Driving on the wrong side of the road;
• Not seeing a motorcyclist due to glare or other view obstructions;
• Inexperienced motorists;
• Driving while under the influence of drugs;
• Vehicle defects;
• Roadway defects;
• Intentional hostile actions.

Information kindly provided by MotorcycleAccident.Org 

For more info on bike safety visit: http://www.motorcycleaccident.org/

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My BackTracker series of novels features bikers and biker gangs.  However, my rough and rowdies characters are more more concerned about getting killed by each other, rival gangsters, or the cops than by road hazzards.

Click here THE TRAZ  to sample or purchase the first book in the series.  BACKTRACKER: the sequel to The Traz will be released Spring 2012.