Dec 16, 2021
Motorcycle popularity has increased exponentially in the U.S. over the past several years. As the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) notes, the number of on-road motorcycles registered in the country has been steadily rising. In fact, the overall figure doubled from 4.2 million in 2002 to 8.3 million in 2018, according to the IIHS’s data.
For motorcycle enthusiasts, traffic safety is paramount. The Insurance Information Institute (III) confirms that in 2019, motorcyclists were nearly 29 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash (per vehicle miles traveled).
Let’s look at some important motorcycle accident statistics – both for the U.S. as well as California. We’ll also discuss how to file a civil claim if you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash.
The following statistics have been provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and revised as of September 2021:
The following statistics were confirmed by the NHTSA based on data provided through the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting system (FARS):
In the U.S., motorcycles represented 3% of all registered vehicles in 2019, accounting for just 0.6% of all vehicle miles traveled. But the fatality rate for motorcyclists, per the NHTSA, was 58.33 – more than six times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants (9.42) and almost nine times the fatality rate for light-truck occupants.
But the injury rate for motorcyclists (975) was actually lower than the injury rate for passenger car occupants (1,152) in 2019. However, the motorcycle injury rate that year was in fact higher than the injury rate of light-truck occupants (648).
In terms of vehicle miles traveled – an important safety indicator – the fatality rate for motorcyclists (25.47) was 29 times more than the passenger car occupant fatality rate (0.89) and nearly 40 times the light-truck occupant fatality rate (0.64). Although the overall injury rate for motorcyclists was lower than passenger cars in 2019, when viewing that statistic per vehicle miles traveled the following was found:
The NHTSA has provided the following statistics regarding the specific environments where motorcycle crash fatalities often occur, as well as the conditions that impact motorcycle accidents:
The NHTSA offered the following chart (*data provided by FARS):
If you experienced a motorcycle accident injury, don’t wait to file a claim. Contact our expert attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.
Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.
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