Motorcyclists are at a higher risk of being injured in traffic accidents than drivers of other vehicles because motorcycles occupy a smaller and less visible area of the road, and riders are more exposed and, therefore, less protected.
That means, sadly, many injuries and deaths involving motorcyclists happen every year. But exactly how common are motorcycle accidents and fatalities in the USA? Let us take a look at the stats to find out.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Big Cities
As you might expect, many motorcycle accidents happen in big cities because there is more traffic and more potential hazards.
For instance, in Chicago alone, more than 100 people die in motorcycle collisions or crashes each year. And approximately 160 people die in New York every year due to motorcycle crashes.
Some of the most common causes of those accidents are:
- Impairment due to alcohol or drugs.
- Negligence of motorcyclists and other vehicle drivers.
- Distracted driving.
- Hazardous weather conditions like snow, heavy rain, and high winds.
- Road hazards such as poor road conditions and debris on the road.
Other causes of motorcycle accidents include, but are not limited to:
- Speeding.
- Impairment due to fatigue.
- Impairment due to illness or injury.
- Poor road design and layout.
- Mechanical failures of vehicles.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident in a big city like Chicago, New York, or anywhere else, and the accident is not your fault, it is important that you contact a personal injury lawyer after you have received medical attention for your injuries so that you can bring the responsible party to justice and claim the compensation you are entitled to.
You could receive financial compensation to cover the cost of things like medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.
How common are motorcycle accidents and fatalities?
According to the latest figures from the US Department of Transportation, there were 83,000 motorcyclist injuries in 2020.
That means there were 992 injuries per 100,000 registered motorcycles. As for fatalities, the same report shows that there were 5,579 motorcyclist fatalities in 2020, which means there were just over 67 fatalities per 100,000 registered motorcycles.
Exploring the Statistics in More Detail
To explore those stats in more detail, we need to look at the National Safety Council’s analysis of the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System data.
The findings show that while motorcycles account for only 3% of all registered vehicles in the US, motorcyclists were involved in a whopping 14% of all road fatalities and 4% of all injuries in 2020.
The report also shows that fatalities among motorcyclists and passengers rose by 11% between 2019 and 2020, and over the last ten years, the number of deaths increased by 20%.
Interestingly, the report also states that motorcyclists who were involved in fatal crashes during 2020 had higher percentages of alcohol impairment than operators of other vehicles.
27% of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were impaired by alcohol in 2020, while 23% of passenger car drivers, 19% of light truck drivers, and 3% of truck drivers involved in fatal road accidents were impaired by alcohol.
The Takeaway
While many motorcyclists ride regularly without ever being injured in accidents, as we have seen, many injuries and fatalities do occur every year.
That is due to numerous factors, but it is largely due to the fact that motorcycles are less visible to drivers and are less stable than four-wheeled vehicles.
Furthermore, operating a motorcycle requires the rider to use a different combination of mental and physical skills than drivers of cars and other four-wheeled vehicles.
Motorcyclists and their passengers are also more vulnerable to weather conditions and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles. Therefore, if you ride a motorcycle, you need to be extra vigilant to reduce your risk of being injured in a road accident.
