Is it safe to drive by Motorcycle in America? Well, every area is different but there is many similarities within the 2017 motorcycle accident facts. How many people were killed in motorcycle accident crashes in 2017? There were 5,172 motorcyclists killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Fortunately, this is a 3% decrease from the 5,337 motorcyclists killed in 2016.
Motorcyclist accidents accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities and 17 percent of all car accident fatalities. Of the 5,172 peopled killed in motorcycle traffic crashes, 94 percent were riders and 6 percent were passengers. Additionally. two-wheeled motorcycles accounted for 91 percent of all motorcycles in fatal crashes.
Motorcycles made up 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2017 and accounted for only 0.6 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per registered vehicle, the fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2017 was 6 times the fatality rate for
auto accident occupants. in 2017, motorcyclist fatalities occurred nearly 27 times more frequently than passenger car occupant fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
What Environment is Safest for Motorcycle drivers?
What is safer for motorcycles, urban or rural areas? In contrast, 60 percent of the motorcycle fatalities occurred in urban areas, compared to 40 percent in rural areas.
Additionally, 65 percent occurred at locations that were not intersections, compared to 35 percent at intersections.
Is it safer to drive motorcycle during day or night? 58 percent of motorcycle accidents occurred during daylight, compared to 38 percent in the dark, 4 percent during dusk, and 1 percent during dawn. In contrast, it was safer for motorcyclists to drive during night instead of day. 97 percent occurred in cloudy/clear conditions, compared to 2 percent in the rain, and 1 percent in fog conditions.
What are the causes for fatal motorcycle crashes?
Data shows in 2017, the most harmful event for 3,019 (57%) of the 5,326 motorcycles involved in fatal crashes were collisions with motor vehicles in transport.
In two-vehicle crashes, 76 percent of the motorcycles involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes were impacted in the front. Only 7 percent were impacted in the rear.
Motorcycles were more frequently involved in fatal collisions with fixed objects than other vehicle types. Twenty-three percent of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes in 2017 collided with fixed objects, compared to 16 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 4 percent for large trucks.
In 2017, there were 2,598 two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle. In 42 percent (1,098) of these crashes, the other vehicles were turning left while the motorcycles were going straight, passing, or overtaking other vehicles. Both vehicles were going straight in 555 crashes (21%).
What percentage of motorcycle accidents involve Alcohol-impaired?
In 2017, there were 4,885 motorcycle riders killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those, 28% were alcohol-impaired. In addition, there were 7% motorcycle riders killed who had lower alcohol levels (BACs of .01 to .07 g/dL).
Motorcycle riders involved (killed or survived) in fatal crashes in 2017 had higher percentages of alcohol impairment than any other type of motor vehicle driver (27% for motorcycle riders, 21% for passenger car drivers, 20% for light-truck drivers, and 3% for drivers of large trucks).
The highest percentages of alcohol-impaired motorcycle riders killed were in the 40-to-44 age group and the 45-to-49 age group both make up 38% each, followed by the 35-to-39 age group which make up 32%, when compared to other age groups.
Motorcycle riders killed in traffic crashes at night were three times more frequently found to be alcohol-impaired than those killed during the day. In general, most adults consume alcohol at night so you can see how this statistic is not hard to believe.
Are Motorcycle Helmets effective at Saving lives?
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 helmets, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets.
In 2017, only 19 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico required helmet use for all motorcyclists.
Map of Percent Known Unhelmeted Motorcyclists Killed, by State, 2017
Information contained in this article represents reportable data collected from NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.
Is a Motorcycle Lawyer needed after an Accident?
If you’ve been involved in an accident, you need to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer right away. In general, motorcycle crashes leave victims with permanent damage and may require ongoing treatment for recovery. For this reason, medical bills and cost for recovery can seem never-ending for motorcycle accident victims.
Equally important, you risk paying insurance deductible or the total cost for fixing your motorcycle without a lawyer. If there is not much evidence, the other party involved can lie about what happened in the accident. Without a motorcycle attorney, you may never receive reimbursement for loss of wages from missing work. Additionally, it can be a long road to recovery for motorcycle crash victims.
Top Rated Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Houston, Tx
Texas was rated the third highest state for motorcycle drivers killed from traffic accidents in 2017. Statistically, Florida was first with 550 deaths and California was second with 515 motorcycle fatalities.
Twenty-nine percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2017 were riding without valid motorcycle licenses at the time of the collisions, while only 13 percent of passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes did not have valid licenses.
In conclusion, motorcycle accidents can be fatal to riders. Helmets have been proven to be around 37% effective, never ride without wearing. Call a motorcycle lawyer immediately if you or family member was involved in an accident. Located in Houston? Call for a Free Consultation: 1-800-275-5007.
