The major causes of death in motorcycle accidents are head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Motorcycle crashes often result in serious head injuries, even if a rider is wearing a helmet (as is required in the state of North Carolina).
As mentioned previously, head injuries are the most common cause of fatal injuries in a motorcycle wreck. However, there are several other common causes of fatal accidents. The most common fatal injuries include: Head injuries.
Head-On Collisions
And, it's no surprise that when head-on collisions occur, they're often fatal for the motorcyclist.
A total of 6,084 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2021. That is the highest number recorded and a 21 percent increase since 2019. Motorcycle deaths accounted for 14 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2021 and were nearly triple the number of motorcyclist deaths in 1997.
One of the most common locations for motorcycle accidents is at an intersection. According to the NHTSA, nearly half of all motorcycle accidents occur at traffic intersections. Intersections require everyone to pay close attention to determine the right-of-way.
Broken arms, elbows and fingers are common. Injured motorcyclists might experience permanent nerve damage to the upper body. Motorcycle gloves and “body armor” can help to provide some protection. The thorax, or upper trunk of the body, houses the heart, lungs and other internal organs and is protected by the ribs.
Approximately 43 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve alcohol. 7 A motorcycle requires more skill and coordination to operate than a car. Riding a motorcycle while under the influence of any alcohol significantly decreases an operator's ability to operate it safely.
Cruisers: As much as 50% of the motorcycles on the road today are classified as motorcycle cruisers. This also means that they account for a large percentage of the accidents. Additionally, cruisers may encourage riders to wear less protective gear in order to maintain their 'cool image.
According to the National Highway and Traffic Administration (HTSA), anywhere between 35-45% of all motorcycle crashes occur because a driver coming from the opposite direction crossed into the rider's path during a left-hand turn in a failed attempt to beat oncoming traffic.
The top three places to safely ride a motorcycle are off-road trails, race tracks, and on highways. On the road, and in comparison to city streets, highways are significantly safer, even though the higher speeds might make them seem more risky.
Mississippi. With a rate of about 14 fatalities for 10,000 registered motorcycles, Mississippi tops the list of the most dangerous states for bikers. This number is especially staggering when you consider that Mississippi laws require all bikers and passengers to wear a safety helmet.
A car or truck driver is more likely to be at fault for a motorcycle-related crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents happen when another driver doesn't see a motorcycle rider.
Failure to yield and speeding are the top primary causes of motorcycle crashes.
1. The 1972 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV. And so we come to the top spot.
According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, standard motorcycles, touring motorcycles, cruisers, and sport-touring motorcycles have the lowest rate of fatal accidents.
According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, while younger motorcyclists aged 25 to 29 are involved in the most accidents, older motorcyclists aged 50 and older account for the highest percentage of motorcycle fatalities.
The safest “default” lane position for a motorcycle is in the leftmost third of the lane. Most motorcyclists choose to stay in the left position for the majority of the time they're on the road.
The safest speed to drive your motorcycle during normal conditions is the average speed of the vehicles around you. The vehicles ahead and behind you should influence this speed more than the vehicles to your left or to your right but should still be taken into the equation.
Can-Am motorcycles had the worst reliability rating according to Consumer Reports with an estimated 42% of bikes needing repairs within the first four years. Still, 67% of owners said they'd buy a Can-Am bike again. More frequent repairs or a higher cost of ownership don't matter as much to Can-Am riders.
What is the Rate of Motorcycle Accidents? Each year there are around 89,000 motorcycle accidents on roads across America. Based on the number of registered motorcyclists this means that just over 1% of them will be involved in motorcycle accidents each year.
Lowside, highside, topside, and collision are the four main categories of motorcycle crash types.
SPEEDING. Everybody seems to be in a hurry, but driving too fast for conditions or in excess of posted speed limits clearly contributes to auto accidents and accident fatalities. According to the NHTSA, the top reason for traffic accidents and fatalities were driving too fast for the road conditions.