What Percentage Of Motorcycle Accidents Are Fatal?
What Percentage Of Motorcycle Accidents Are Fatal?
The percentage of fatal motorcycle accidents depends on several factors. These factors include speeding, collisions with fixed objects, alcohol impairment, and not wearing a helmet. In 2020, the rate of motorcycle fatalities was highest among motorcyclists aged 25 to 29. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the risk of these accidents.
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Speeding
Many motorcycle accidents are the result of reckless drivers speeding. Speeding is a dangerous behavior, and a motorcyclist who is struck by a fast car is at serious risk for serious injuries. Drivers who speed are less aware of the road and are less likely to react to changes in road conditions.
Motorcyclists have a high risk of serious and fatal injuries, and a motorcyclist who is not wearing a helmet is at greater risk of sustaining multiple injuries. The most common type of injury sustained in a motorcycle collision is the head. As a result, head injuries account for nearly half of all fatal collisions involving motorcycles. The next leading cause of death is chest and abdominal injuries, followed by spinal injuries.
Collisions with fixed objects
Fixed-object crashes account for 20 percent of motorcycle crash fatalities, and the most common types of fixed-object crashes are collisions with trees, utility poles, and traffic barriers. In addition, more than half of these crashes occur during the night, and alcohol is a common contributing factor. Excessive speed or falling asleep may also cause a driver to run off the road, and bad visibility can make it difficult to spot a motorcycle.
Fixed-object crashes may involve other vehicles. Although the motorcyclist is usually at fault, other factors can also contribute to the collision, such as other drivers, dangerous construction zones, and defective guardrails. In addition, a motorcycle rider may be injured by falling from the motorcycle or being thrown off. As a result, a personal injury lawyer can help victims pursue compensation for their injuries.
Unhelmeted riders
According to CODES statistics, unhelmeted riders are responsible for a significantly higher percentage of fatal motorcycle accidents. Unhelmeted riders are also more likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries. While helmet use may reduce the severity of a crash, it is not always possible to avoid a collision. Thankfully, there are many resources online to help you stay safe while riding.
A recent study found that motorcycle accident victims who are helmeted have a lower risk of suffering facial injuries. These injuries are only half as common among those in a helmet as they are for unhelmeted riders. In addition, motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of suffering a TBI by 66 percent. A logistical model of motorcycle accidents shows that helmets are responsible for a significantly lower percentage of fatal motorcycle accidents than they are in crashes involving other vehicles.
Alcohol impairment
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol is a factor in nearly one in four fatal motorcycle accidents. Over one-quarter of motorcycle operators were driving under the influence of alcohol. Of these drivers, almost one in four had a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher. Those with BACs over 0.08 percent were significantly more likely to die in a motorcycle crash than were drivers of other vehicles.
In a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a report detailing the number of alcohol-impaired crashes. The study included more than 400 crashes where at least one driver was impaired by alcohol. This included 480 crashes involving drunk drivers from the years 2011 to 2018. In addition to determining if alcohol was a factor in motorcycle accidents, researchers classified traffic charges as either moving violations, administrative/miscellaneous charges, or alcohol charges.
Age of motorcyclists
Fatal motorcycle accidents tend to involve young motorcyclists aged twenty-five to thirty-nine. However, fatal motorcycle accidents also involve older riders. In the past decade, the average age of a motorcyclist involved in a fatal crash has increased. This is largely due to an increase in the size of motorcycle engines. In 2001, for example, nearly one-fourth of fatal motorcycle crashes involved a motorcycle with a displacement of more than 1,000 ccs.
National FARS data revealed a similar trend. The number of fatal motorcycle accidents involving older motorcyclists increased from 1990 to 2002.