Plenty of riders will be getting their motorcycles out in the coming weeks and months in Washington as better weather moves in during the spring and summer months. With more motorcycles on the roads, what can statistics tell us about the dangers that motorcyclists face?
Scary statistics
Statistics from the National Safety Council show that only a scant 3% of registered vehicles in America are motorcycles. So, relatively speaking, with so few motorcycles on the roads it should be easy for both motorcyclists and other drivers to avoid motorcycle accidents, right?
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. The NSC statistics show that even though only 3% of vehicles are motorcycles, motorcyclists actually make up 14% of traffic fatalities. And, that fatalities percentage increased in one recent year-over-year sample – going up 8% from 2020 to 2021. To make things worse, over a 10-year period, statistics show that overall motorcyclist death numbers have risen by 19%. Injury rates are also on the rise.
There are some interesting statistics about motorcycle ownership and use as well. The NSC statistics show that the number of registered motorcycles in America increased by a whopping 38% from 2007 to 2021 but, at the same time, the number of miles that riders actually log decreased by 8% during that same time period. So, more people may own motorcycles but, overall, they are probably riding less.
As our readers in Washington prepare for the spring and summer seasons, they’ll need to be on the lookout for more motorcycles on the roadways. And, motorcyclists will need to do their best to drive defensively and avoid careless motorists. When motorcycle accidents do happen, injured victims may have legal claims to pursue.