Riding a motorcycle can be an exhilarating experience that gives riders a sense of freedom as they cruise around. Motorcycles may only account for 3% of registered vehicles on the roads in the United States, but they unfortunately have a much higher rate of accidents than car accidents or other modes of transportation.
Motorcycle accidents are also more likely to result in a fatality than any other vehicle due to the lack of safety features like airbags or seat belts. Motorcycle accident statistics grow nearly every year even though the amount of riders remains relatively the same. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
In this article, we’ll go over a wide variety of motorcycle accident statistics, the different types of motorcycles, and what outside factors have the biggest impact on motorcycle accidents.
How many motorcycle accidents happen per year?
There were 82,528 motorcyclists that sustained injuries while riding in 2020. On average, there were 468 injuries that occurred per 100 million vehicle miles traveled over the course of the year. (Forbes)
How many people are killed in motorcycle accidents each year?
There were a total of 5,932 motorcyclists killed in accidents in 2021, up 8% from 2020, even though the rate per 100 million vehicle miles decreased by 2%.
Motorcycle riders accounted for 14% of all traffic deaths and 17% of all occupant fatalities, despite only being 3% of registered vehicles and 0.6% of all vehicle miles traveled in the U.S.
Deaths have increased by 19% over the last 10 years, while death rates have jumped to 29% or 30.05 per 100 vehicle miles. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
Which states have the most motorcycle deaths?
California and Florida have the most amount of registered motorcycles, but Louisiana has the highest rate of fatal accidents with 21.1 per 10,000 registered motorcycles. South Carolina and Mississippi were second and third, respectively, with fatality rates of 13.1 and 12.7. (Statista, Motorcycle Legal Foundation)
Which type of motorcycle accident causes the most deaths?
76% of motorcycle accidents happen when the motorcyclist is hit from the front instead of the rear end. Only 7% of two-vehicle crashes with a motorcycle occurred when they were hit from behind. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
What are the most common causes of motorcycle accidents?
The most common causes of motorcycle accidents involve alcohol and poor weather conditions. In fact, 25% of motorcycle riders involved in a fatal crash were impaired by alcohol – more than any other type of vehicle fatality. (AutoInsurance.org)
Are there more motorcycle accidents vs. car accidents?
Even though motorcycle accidents have a higher fatality rate, there were 30,262 more car accidents than motorcycle accidents in 2020. (Forbes)
What is the rate of injury for motorcycle accidents each year?
Motorcycle injuries peaked at 104,000 in 2016 with an injury rate of 508 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the United States. As of 2021, injuries have dropped to 83,000 with an injury rate of 421 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
What type of motorcycle accident happens the most?
Single-vehicle motorcycle crashes accounted for 38.82% of all motorcycle crashes in 2021. Meanwhile, two-vehicle crashes were 53.25% of all crashes, and three-plus-vehicle crashes were 7.92%. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
How many motorcyclists wear compliant helmets?
67% of motorcycle riders and 52% of motorcycle passengers wear compliant helmets while riding. Additionally, 6% of motorcycle riders wear non-compliant helmets, in addition to 4% of passengers. (National Safety Council Injury Facts, Forbes)
Does geographic area impact the number of motorcycle deaths?
Urban areas accounted for 67.42% of motorcycle deaths in 2021, while only 32.58% occurred in rural areas of the country. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
What time of day do most motorcycle accidents occur?
In 2021, fatal motorcycle accidents occurred most commonly during the nighttime – but just barely. 50.44% of accidents occurred during the night, while 48.92% happened during the day. Specifically, 24% of fatal motorcycle accidents happen between 6 and 9 p.m. (National Safety Council Injury Facts, Forbes)
In what kind of weather do most motorcycle accidents occur?
Throughout all of the motorcycle deaths that occurred in 2021, the weather was surprisingly clear 82.62% of the time. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
How many motorcyclists drive while intoxicated?
Alcohol played a role in 28.4% of fatal motorcycle accidents in 2021, and 40% of alcohol-impaired motorcycle crash deaths happened at night. (National Safety Council Injury Facts)
Injured in a Motorcycle Accident? Contact The Injury Lawyers at Cousin Benny
If you or someone you know was injured in a motorcycle accident, contact the injury lawyers at Cousin Benny to find out how much your case is worth and get a free consultation.
Cousin Benny’s experienced attorneys have handled countless motor vehicle and motorcycle accident cases. We give your personal case the full attention it deserves and won’t back down from big insurance companies.
