Motorcycle Injury Statistics

Motorcycles are a small minority of the vehicles on the road -- just two percent of all vehicles in 2005, according to statistics from the federal Department of Transportation. But without a metal cage to protect them, motorcycle riders are at disproportionate risk; the same study showed that motorcycles accounted for 10 percent of all fatalities on U.S. roads in 2005. Looked at by vehicle miles traveled in 2004, the study found that motorcyclists were 34 times more likely to die than passenger car occupants, and 8 times more likely to be injured. Another study showed that 98 percent of multi-vehicle and 96 percent of single-vehicle motorcycle accidents involved some type of injury or death; 45 percent of those injuries were classified as more than minor.

When motorcycle accidents happen, they’re most likely to be an accident with another moving vehicle. The Hurt Report, the most comprehensive study available on motorcycle accidents, said three-fourths of all motorcycle crashes were multi-vehicle crashes. A DOT study found that 50.4 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes and 41.7 crashes that caused only injuries that year were crashes involving another vehicle. In both cases, the vast majority of those multi-vehicle crashes (39.1 percent of fatalities and 23.9 percent of injuries) were crashes where the worst impact was to the front of the motorcycle. Impacts to the left side, right side or rear of the bike always accounted for less than 8 percent of injuries or deaths, with right-side accidents being the least common. The third most common accident, but a disproportionately fatal type, was a single-vehicle motorcycle collision with a fixed object, which caused 26 percent of the fatalities but only 8.2 percent of injuries. And the second most common accident overall, surprisingly, was a “noncollision crash” -- an accident in which the motorcycle did not crash but encountered some problem, such as overturning, flipping over or catching fire. Noncollision crashes accounted for 9.3 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents and 34.9 percent of injury crashes.

According to the Hurt Report, the top cause of motorcycle accidents is drivers simply not seeing motorcycles in traffic. This type of accident accounted for roughly half of all the crashes in the study; the most frequent accident configuration cited was a motorcycle going straight while a car or truck turned left into it, violating the motorcyclist’s right of way and often violating traffic signals. In single-vehicle accidents, the most common cause was rider error, usually the rider’s failure to slow down or brake correctly in a curve, causing the bike to slip and the rider to slide across the pavement at high speeds.

Other characteristics common to motorcycle crashes include:

• Proximity to home -- most motorcycle crashes happen on casual trips, within a few minutes of setting off, according to the Hurt Report.


• Low speed -- the same report says the vast majority of motorcycle accidents take place at less than 30 mph.


• Youth -- riders between 16 and 24 are significantly overrepresented in accidents.


• General inexperience -- a staggering 92 percent of riders involved in accidents had no training at all or only informal training.


• Inexperience with a particular bike -- most riders involved in crashes had been riding the bike in the accident for fewer than five months.


• Trouble with the law -- riders with no license, a revoked license, or previous arrests or citations were more likely to be involved in accidents.


• Income -- laborers, students and the unemployed are overrepresented in accidents.


• Gender -- while the vast majority of riders are men, women are overrepresented in accidents.

The Hurt Report found that the presence or absence of passengers, as well as bike color, had no significant effect on whether there was an accident. The study found that bikes with windshields were less likely to get into accidents; customized or modified bikes were more likely to get into accidents. While bikes with larger engines were less likely than average to be involved in a crash, the study found that they were associated with graver injuries when they were. And the study found very few accidents caused by road hazards, weather, bike defects, animals or deliberate driver hostility (fewer than three percent for each).

Thanks to their vulnerability, motorcycle riders who make a bad choice, like riding drunk or speeding, are more likely to pay the price than drivers. Injuries are a result in 33 percent of car crashes that involve substance abuse, but in 90 percent of motorcycle crashes. Almost half (40 to 45 percent) of all motorcyclists killed in a crash had been drinking -- but only a third of those riders were legally drunk, meaning that it doesn’t take much alcohol to impair your ability to ride safely. In 2005, 33 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, whereas that proportion was only 22 percent for passenger cars, 18 percent for light trucks (like SUVs and pickups) and 7 percent for drivers of heavy trucks. And according to 2002 figures from the DOT, riders who weren’t using helmets that year were 40 percent more likely to sustain a fatal head injury and 15 percent more likely to sustain a nonfatal head injury than helmeted riders.

Bisnar | Chase has a strong record of getting significant financial settlements and verdicts in motorcycle accident cases. We have represented literally thousands of motorcycle and auto accident victims since 1978, recovering tens of millions for injured clients. We understand what it takes to mount a successful motorcycle accident lawsuit; we have the experience to get you the best possible results.

Statistics give us part of the story on motorcycle safety -- but they don’t report on the thousands of responsible American riders who arrive home safely each day. If you or someone you love was involved in a crash with another vehicle despite taking reasonable care on the road, you deserve justice. The experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Bisnar | Chase can help you evaluate your case, navigate the legal system and get the best possible compensation for your injuries, including compensation for lost wages and reduced quality of life as well as physical, mental and emotional injuries. Call us today at 1-866-889-2775 for a free, no-obligation consultation, or click here to fill out a case evaluation form online.