Motorcycle Stats

One of the posts in the Discussion are was about riding a motorcycle to a club. It soon "wondered" into the area of motorcycle safety. Be low is an article I had previously written for a motorcycle group. To riders, not a lot of surprises, perhaps, but there might be some to those that do not ride.

                                             STATISTICS

Boring, perhaps, but they can be eye opening and maybe, life saving. These stats are from an older study, but I am quite sure they would not be any less reveling, if updated.

Sport bikes are involved in motorcycle deaths at a rate higher than all types of motorcycles. I don't think this comes as a surprise to those reading this. We've all seen the “stunts” that some of the sport bike riders pull. Riders of these bikes are killed at a rate 4 times more often than those that ride “standard” bikes. A few short years ago, sport bikes made up less than 10% of the registered motorcycles, but accounted for more than 25% of rider deaths. I know if sport bikes are around, I give their riders a wide birth. The power to weight ratio is much greater on these bikes then on Harley's and many of those that ride them are not out for a cruise to lunch or a ride to the Keys.

The stats below are mostly based on a study by University Of Southern California. Many accident reports were studied and many riders were killed. I hope something that came from this study will keep us all off those lists. Here is some of what they found.

Motorcycle Accident Study findings:

1. About 75% of accidents are with another vehicle, usually an automobile. The rest are single vehicle motorcycle accidents. .

2. When single vehicle accidents occurred, about 66% of the time, rider error was present. These errors typically were over braking or missing a turn due to excessive speed or mishandling of the bike.

3. When another vehicle was involved, the driver of the other vehicle was the cause about 66% of the time. This is the predominate cause of motorcycle accidents. And of these, it is the other vehicle turning in front of the bike.

4. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly over-represented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30 and 50 are significantly under represented. Although the majority of the accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female motorcycle riders are significantly over represented in the accident data.

5. Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the accident-involved motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are under represented and laborers, students and unemployed are over- represented in the accidents.

6. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.

7. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not over represented in the accident area.

8. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the motorcycle are not distinguished from other accident populations except that the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are over represented. Also, these drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.

9. The large displacement motorcycles are under represented in accidents but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in accidents.

10. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are under represented in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity and the association with more experienced and trained riders.

11. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in motorcycle accidents. 98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.

12. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot, lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.

13. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size.

Just take a couple of minutes, think about your riding and these numbers. I don't think any of us wish to end up a statistic.