MEMBERSHIP
AMPLIFY
EN ESPAÑOL
Connect With Us
- Popular search terms
- Automobile
- Home + Renters
- Claims
- Fraud
- Hurricane
- Popular Topics
- Automobile
- Home + Renters
- The Basics
- Disaster + Preparation
- Life Insurance
Motorcycles are by their nature far less crashworthy than closed vehicles. They are also less visible to other drivers and pedestrians and less stable than four-wheel vehicles. Operating a motorcycle requires a different combination of physical and mental skills than those used in driving four-wheel vehicles. Motorcyclists and their passengers are more vulnerable to the hazards of weather and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles.
In 2018, 4,985 motorcyclists died in motorcycle crashes, down 5 percent from 5,229 in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2018, motorcyclists were 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle miles traveled.
Note: statistics on fatal motorcycle crashes are also available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
|
(1) Based on surveys of motorcyclists using helmets meeting Department of Transportation standards. Surveys conducted in October for 1996-2000 and in June thereafter.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Occupant Protection Use Survey, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National Center for Statistics and Analysis.
NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,872 motorcyclists in 2017. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 749 lives could have been saved. Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41 percent for motorcycle passengers. In other words, for every 100 motorcycle riders killed in crashes while not wearing a helmet, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets. NHTSA also found that nearly $3.5 billion in economic costs and $21 billion in comprehensive costs were saved in 2017 by the use of motorcycle helmets. Moreover, if all motorcyclists had worn helmets in 2017, an additional $1.5 billion in economic costs and $8.9 billion in comprehensive costs could have been saved. Economic costs include lost productivity, medical costs, legal and court costs, emergency medical service (EMS) costs, insurance administration costs, congestion costs (including travel delay and other costs), property damage, and workplace losses. Comprehensive costs include economic costs plus the valuation for lost quality of life.
|
NA=Data not available.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Federal Highway Administration.
|
(1) NHTSA began using police-reported crash data from the Crash Report Sampling System, replacing the National Automotive Sampling System
General Estimates System (GES). NCSA has also changed the methodology of estimating people nonfatally injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Federal Highway Administration.
|
(1) Per 10 million vehicle miles traveled.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
|
(1) Includes 10 motorcyclists killed on unknown day of week.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration.
|
(1) Trucks with 10,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight. Includes pickups, vans, truck-based station wagons and utility vehicles.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Vehicle miles traveled - USDOT, Federal Highway Administration, revised by NHTSA; Registered passenger cars and light trucks - R.L. Polk & Co; Registered motorcycles - USDOT, Federal Highway Administration.
|
(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or greater, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
|
(1) NHTSA estimates alcohol involvement when alcohol test results are unknown.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration.