Take a look at these statistics and the crash video below if you think riding without a motorcycle helmet is a good way to save money.
With the number of U.S. motorcyclist deaths jumping 78% to 5,154 in 2007 from 2,897 in 2000, a recent University of Southern California study points to the wearing a helmet as the major factor in surviving a motorcycle crash.
Below are additional statistics that explain why motorcycle insurance premiums continue to rise.
Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
Although motorcycles represent only 3% of all registered vehicles in the United States, motorcyclists accounted for 13% of total traffic fatalities in 2007.
Per registered vehicle, the fatality rate for both motorcycle operators and passengers is 5.5 times higher than that for passenger car occupants.
Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 35 times more likely to die in a car crash than people traveling in passenger cars.
These findings are among the most recent statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Deadly Motorcycle Crash Statistics
During 2007, 50% of all fatal motorcycle crashes involved collisions with another type of motor vehicle in transport. Of these two-vehicle crashes, 78% of motorcycles involved were struck from the front. Only 5% were struck from the rear.
In 25% of fatal motorcycle crashes, the motorcyclists crashed into a fixed object like a telephone pole or a concrete abutment.
Speeding was a factor in 36% of fatal motorcycle crashes during 2007. This compares with 24% for passenger cars, 19% for light trucks and 8% for large trucks.
Florida (530), California (495) and Texas (375) had the highest number of motorcycle fatalities in 2007.
Fewer Motorcyclists Wear Helmets
The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,784 motorcyclists from death in 2007. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 800 lives could have been saved.
Helmets are considered to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists. This means for every 100 motorcyclists killed in crashes while not wearing a helmet, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets.
Sadly, use of motorcycle helmets in the U.S. has declined by 13 percentage points to 58% in 2007 from 71% in 2000.
Photo: Motorcycle crash investigation from www.her-motorcycle.com
Comments
i would have to say the spike in bike accidents is due to idiots on cell phones talking and texting while driving. I think the penalties for drivers texting/talking should be even higher than for those that drink and drive. They should have better sense since they arent "impaired" other than being mentally challanged
completely agree! ive barely been able to avoid collisions with people who were texting while driving and swerving all over the road. Its incredibly dangerous and distracting. On top if this its not necessary, as there are plenty of apps which alow you to dictate text these days.
People arguing about cell-phones and texting need to remember that the majority of crashes were not because someone struck a motorcyclist. They were front end collisions by the motorcycle into something else. (Disregarding reversing into a motorcyclist, which I imagine is a rare-ish occurrence as I've yet to see it happen.)
That is a great statement. Well worded!
Well Dave I could not agree more about the texting while driving thing, but....I have noticed a real problem with the motorcyclist here in California thinking they OWN the road!! They whizzzz by you doing 80 to 100 miles an hour in between you and the car in the lane beside you, while you are doing the posted 65-70, their bikes make such a loud noise it scares you to death, and they wonder why there are so many motorcycle deaths??? IDIOTS ALL OF THEM!!!! THEY GET WHAT THEY DESERVE!!
great, so in your opinion, a few idiots misbehaving justifies you wishing an entire group of people to die?
Very civilised of you!
Hey Retard!!!!! Not all motorcycle riders are idiots. It's stupid people like you who make wise ass assumptions about motorcycle riders that gives them such a bad rep.
I won't comment on the blanket statement about ALL motorcyclists being idiots. What I wish to address is the "so loud". It is because those on cruisers are "So loud" that you can hear us in your blind spot and avoid side swiping, which is a big problem.
While not all motorcyclists are idiots, not all are wise either. That being said, those who ride a cruiser have a different attitude than those who ride sports bikes . Majority of cruisers ride for riding sake, not for the need for speed. Those who ride sports bikes often choose sports bikes because of they cost less, though a greater number choose them for the need for speed. Unfortunately you often can't HEAR them.
Loud pipes SAVES lives
HEY!!!!, Your stupid ass comment is not appreciated. How F@#KING dare your say they deserve to die. You DO NOT ride so STFU. I Ride, I know car drivers suck balls and don't seem to give two shits about us moto riders. Awww do we make you shit your bloomers when we fly by your slow ass car. Bottom line, PAY ATTENTION, SAVE LIVES.
Really - So, in your opinion, the price for startling you should be death. Your level of ignorance amazes me. You have the right to call motorcyclists idiots for taking additional risk on our roadways - but, to say they deserve death....wow. I don't ride like that, and I don't like loud exhaust systems because they cause fatigue on long trips, but, to each his own. Again - you have put in writing one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard in my life.
Jeanie is sterotyping. she sucks
jeanie eats poop for breakfast. EWWYYY
Its true that many motorcyclists are jerks. But F you for thinking ANYONE deserves death.
Yeah. WHAT HE SAID!
leave jeanie alone A hole
Jeanie bout to get A BEAT DOWN
It does not take a genius to figure out a human flying down the street on a chunk of metal ( the engine) at even 30 miles pr hour has zero protection. Fly off a bike that fast or faster is almost certain death. No cell phone needed.
mayne that is some straight up shizzit for rizzle just seen a man fly by fasta than his bike
Riding a motorcycle presents unique dangers. If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, it is important to speak with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney. In my practice as a personal injury attorney in Southern California www.accidentsinla.com, I come across many motorcycle accidents.
OK people, first.. bikes are LOUD for a reason!! So you can hear them!!! Even though bikes are smaller than a car, they get the whole lane just like a car. This is important because they need the space to avoid pot holes, or for room if wind hits them!! People need to get educated on how to share the road with motorcycles! I know there are SOME unresponsible motorcycle out there that think they own the road, BUT most don't think that way. MOST accidents are NOT the motorcycles fault. People need to learn to take that extra few seconds to make another look to make sure a motorcycle is not there! I don't know how many times My husband and I have almost gotten hit from cars not seeing us!!! We do NOT speed on the bike!!! We also take extra precautions to make sure the cars see us, but it rarely helps! People just don't look and diobey the right a way. Just because we are smaller doesn't mean you can treat us any different!!!
Precisely.
As a matter of fact, last weekend I was on my cruiser, fully protected (full face helmet, leather jacket, gloves and riding boots), still in 1st gear, when a car came flying up to the stop sigh. Not knowing whether they were going to run the sign or not, I applied both brakes and engaged my clutch. My bike hit a thin layer of sand and went down. My full face helmet saved my face and head, and thankfully because I was going slow, I was only bruised and sustained a few patches of road rash. But, having done everything right on my part, I was the one who was hurt by a careless driver. If I had been on a bicycle I would have sustained GREATER injury because I would have had less protection.
Something else to consider for those of you who ride in cages (cars): when a group of motorcycles is passing, treat them like you would a semi-truck. You would not let the cab of semi pass then decide to pull into a lane or go through an intersection just to hit the trailer. A row of bikes is one unit when riding together, don't get in between them, it is unsafe for all around.
it's a shame to see these numbers. i didn't even bother looking at the videos because i know i might see something i'd rather not. that said, driver's education should include mandatory rules about sharing the road, driver distraction and the consequences for lack thereof, with testimony from real people, NOT ACTORS! it's unfortunate when there are single vehicle accidents - riders (human beings) do make mistakes. it's a tragedy when a multi-vehicle accident occurs (involving a motorcycle) because the occupant of the vehicle was clearly distracted by cell phone use, talking, texting, REEEADDDINNNG! - you'd be surprised what i've seen riding down the highway.
typical example - today i'm coming home from school, approaching an intersection with a vehicle stopped on the left handside of the intersection. As I near the the intersection i notice it's a lady yapping on the cell with phone in-hand. See's me? See's me not (she's too distracted to register me or she really doesn't care) coming down the road. She sits there until i'm close enough, she pulls out in front of me (no "and/then" for emphasis). Thanks alot lady. Thanks. For SHARING the road with me.
Accidents are due to so many factors I don't see how they can pin things solely on a helmet. In CA you can drive a motorcycle in between lanes. You have mountain passes and you know the young guys are trying to turn that into a race track rather than going to one. There is no criteria discussing inattentive drivers or motorcyclists driving too fast for conditions. No criteria for the huge number of dangerous elderly drivers contributing to conditions resulting in a crash (FL). And, there is no conclusive determination whether or not the helmet impact just contributes to a broken neck.
After years of riding mostly I wear a helmet. I also like gloves, decent protective clothing and importantly a good pair of boots. Last time a UPS truck pulled out in front of me and blocked the complete roadway - looking back on it - it was the boots that made the difference.
However, none of that can help you if the driver of a car or truck is an idiot. And, there are more idiot drivers out there than ever before. I used to expect a car pulling out in front of me and making a left. Well, nowadays they still do that but with the added distraction of mobile phone use while making the left. I guess all I can say is thanks for adding that level of driving excitement.
First, I'm a 59 year old female that has been riding for better than 40 years and have only had one speeding ticket in my entire life. I used to ride with my bike as quietly as possible leaving my stock pipes on, that is until my number was up and I always ride wearing proper gear including a helmet. I was heading to a doctors appointment and was hit by a driver on his cell phone. During depositions he stated "I saw her coming down the hill, but then I lost her" "I looked in my rearview mirror and there she was laying on the ground" What he didn't say and I have his image burned into my mind was I saw him with his cell phone in hand a millisecond before we collided. My speed was 25mph and his was somewhere between 15 and 25mph. (the speed limit was 25mph) During the depositions early this year (finally), he was also playing with his cell phone and showed absolutely no remorse whatsoever, even showed up late.
When I entered the intersection was when he decided to make his turn accelerating into me. I tried my dangdest to avoid the collision but still ended up colliding with him. That collision messed up both hands, my left hand required surgery and some titanium. I'm also left handed. He also broke my back in a couple of places which to date has required two surgeries with titanium instrumentation. (6 pedicle screws, 2 vertical and one horizontal rod, two disks and two lag screws to hold the disks in place) the last surgery required an anterior and posterior approach so now I have two huge scars as well. My medical bills have exceeded $416,000 to date and it's still not over. There were other internal injuries as well including broken ribs. The collision occurred in early 2007 and so far the other guys insurance company has yet to pay a dime for my medical and here it is almost 4 years after the fact.
I do still ride because it is something I love to do, but instead of riding with a whisper quiet bike, I now have after-market pipes that are substantially louder to let those on cell phones know I'm there, otherwise they have pulled into my lane with me in it countless times regardless of my lane postion. Also, this is a different bike since the one I was riding was totaled. I won't go into the amount of pains I've had to contend with, or the numbness in my legs over the last few years. Or having to learn to walk again all because of some idiot on his cell phone. I haven't been able to work since the collision and as far as my riding goes, I still can't ride any distance without hurting so much that I want to scream. I'm still discovering different things I can no longer do, I'd list them, but there is likely not enough room to make that substantial of an entry, but I will say it is things most people take for granted.
It wouldn't hurt my feelings a bit if all cell phones never worked again. They are a distraction that impairs those drivers who decide to use them while driving and in my opinion should be treated the same as those drivers who drink and drive. How many lives have to be lost, how many injuries have to be incurred before those people get their heads out of their butts and leave those phones alone while driving. They are a significant cause of the substantial rise in motorcycle related deaths and injuries.
The man who hit me destroyed my life and so far, he skated with a $40 ticket for failure to yield the right of way. A $40 ticket??? He is also still driving and is totally unaffected! So while his life goes on, I have to struggle every day with what he did to me. How is this right? And what did I do to deserved this?
I'm sorry to hear you have gone through so much, I know how hard and unfair something like that can be. I myself was in a crash, I was a passenger in a car and we (me, my sister, and two brothers) rolled our vehicle over an overpass. We all lived but all have permenent damage in one form or another. It was a single vehicle accident and no one was to blame, just a freak accident. I can't imagine how upsetting it would've been if it was someone else's fault and there was no repercussions for said individual...
My whole family rides. I myself don't, but I do have a cage (car) as someone said earlier. I am completely aware of the effects of careless drivers and riders. I think these web sights are made to highten awareness, not call people out for being or not being riders. Just respect the fact that there are more than 1 type of vehicle on the road and pay attention.
To those of you who can't use decent language to get your point across, maybe you shouldn't be driving at all.
Sorry Storm, this accident was uncalled for, and the cager got off the hook way too ease on this one. I still dont think the loud pipes is acceptable. I often hear motorcycles miles away about 2am in the morning, especially the 13.000 rpm type of high pitched sound. I just started riding and I deliver a short beep or two to the right hand cars just to let them know I'm coming down the road. Trying my best not to end up in any reports. Maybe overdoing it -- I also installed a monster 7 inch headlamp which i keep on day and night. ** the I dont see it claim should be combatted with hearing the motorcycle -- I wonder if a high power speaker that delivers "dolphin clicks", but only in the front direction and with a narrow beam, would be the ultimate attention grabber for cagers that dont understand motorcycles.
I have driven 40,000 miles in a car many years and logged up to 10,000 miles in a year on a motorcycle.
I have seen it all on the roads from both perspectives. Most extreme comments in this thread are obviously very one-sided and limited in perspective by extreme emotions.
What I have learned is not to expect anything, besides everything from other drivers/riders on the road. Otherwise you will end up dissapointed, or worse.
Take as much of the responsibility upon yourself as possible because you can't trust anyone else on the road.
Loud pipes SUCK! Helmets, safety gear, and riding decisions save lives.
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