Traffic
Safety Facts
1995
Motorcycles
Traffic
Safety Facts
1995
U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
In 1995, 2,221 motorcyclists were killed and an additional 55,000 were injured
in traffic crashes in the United States--4 percent less than the 2,320
motorcyclist fatalities and 3 percent less than the 56,000 motorcyclist injuries
reported in 1994.
More than 100,000 motorcyclists have died in traffic crashes since the enactment
of the Highway Safety and National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of
1966.
For motorcyclists, the fatality rate per 10,000 registered vehicles has decreased
by nearly 29 percent since 1985 (6.0 and 8.4 in 1995 and 1985, respectively),
compared with a decrease of 10 percent for passenger car occupants over the
same period (1.8 and 2.0 fatalities per 10,000 registered vehicles in 1995
and 1985, respectively). The fatality rate for motorcyclists per 100 million
vehicle miles traveled has declined by 55 percent (from 50.2 in 1985 to 22.6
in 1994), compared with a 26 percent decrease (from 1.9 to 1.4) in the
corresponding fatality rate for passenger car occupants.
Motorcycles make up 2 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States and account for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Motorcyclists were involved in only 1 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes in 1995, but they accounted for 5 percent of total traffic fatalities, 6 percent of all occupant fatalities, and 2 percent of all occupants injured.
Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 16 times as likely as passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and about 4 times as likely to be injured. Per registered vehicle, the fatality rate for motorcyclists is 3.3 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants, and the injury rate is 1.3 times the injury rate for passenger car occupants.
About one-half of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes in 1995 collided with another motor vehicle in transport. In two-vehicle crashes, 79 percent of the motorcycles involved were impacted in the front. Only 5 percent were struck in the rear.
Motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 1995, 29 percent of the reported fatal crashes involving motorcycles were fixed object crashes, compared to 23 percent for passenger cars, 19 percent for light trucks, and 7 percent for large trucks.
Motorcycles are also more likely to be involved in an injury collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 1995, 16 percent of the reported injury crashes involving motorcycles were fixed object crashes, compared to 8 percent for passenger cars, 9 percent for light trucks, and 6 percent for large trucks.
In 1995, there were 1,089 two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle. In 36 percent (390) of these crashes the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle. Both vehicles were going straight in 317 crashes (29 percent).
For 76 percent of the motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes in 1995, police reported one or more errors or other factors related to the operator's behavior. The factor most often noted for motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes was "driving too fast for conditions."
Almost half (43 percent) of all motorcyclist fatalities in 1995 resulted
from crashes in seven states: 260 in California, 181 in Florida,
128 in Texas, 108 in Ohio, 101 in Illinois,
92 in New York, and 84 in Pennsylvania.
Licensing
More than one out of five motorcycle operators (21 percent) involved in fatal
crashes in 1995 were operating the vehicle with an invalid license at the
time of the collision, while only 12 percent of drivers of passenger vehicles
in fatal crashes did not have a valid license.
Motorcycle operators involved in fatal traffic crashes were nearly twice as likely as passenger vehicle drivers to have a previous license suspension or revocation (24 percent and 13 percent, respectively).
Almost 7 percent of the motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes in 1995 had at least one previous conviction for driving while intoxicated on their driver records, compared to less than 4 percent of passenger car drivers.
Alcohol
Motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes in 1995 had higher intoxication
rates, with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of 0.10 grams per deciliter
(g/dl) or greater, than any other type of motor vehicle driver. Intoxication
rates for vehicle operators involved in fatal crashes were 29.1 percent for
motorcycles, 22.4 percent for light trucks, 19.2 percent for passenger cars,
and 1.3 percent for large trucks.
In 1995, 30.0 percent of all fatally injured motorcycle operators were intoxicated (BAC 0.10 g/dl or greater). An additional 11.5 percent had lower alcohol levels (BAC 0.01 to 0.09 g/dl). The intoxication rate was highest for fatally injured operators between 35 and 39 years old (45.8 percent), followed by those between 30 and 34 years old (44.1 percent), and was somewhat lower for ages 40 to 44 (36.1 percent).
Almost half (43 percent) of the 869 motorcycle operators who died in single-vehicle crashes in 1995 were intoxicated. Three-fifths (61 percent) of those killed on weekend nights were intoxicated.
Motorcycle operators killed in traffic crashes at night were 3.3 times as likely to be intoxicated as those killed during the day (43 percent and 13 percent, respectively).
The reported helmet use rate for intoxicated motorcycle operators killed
in traffic crashes was 50 percent, compared with 60 percent for those who
were sober.
NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 506 motorcyclists in 1995. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 285 lives could have been saved.
Helmets are estimated to be 29 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists.
Helmets cannot protect the rider from most types of injuries. A recent NHTSA study showed that motorcycle helmets are 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. (Source: 1996 Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES): Report to Congress on Benefits of Safety Belts and Motorcycle Helmets.)
According to NHTSA's National Occupant Protection Use Survey, a nationally representative observational survey of motorcycle helmet use and safety belt use, helmet use was 63 percent in 1994. According to previous NHTSA surveys, helmet use was reported to be essentially 100 percent at sites with helmet use laws governing all motorcycle riders, as compared to 34 to 54 percent at sites with no helmet use laws or laws limited to minors.
Reported helmet use rates for fatally injured motorcyclists in 1995 were 57 percent for operators and 44 percent for passengers, compared with 55 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in 1994.
NHTSA strongly believes that effective, comprehensive programs encompassing motorcycle helmet usage, rider education, motorcycle operator licensing, and responsible use of alcohol have a strong positive effect on motorcycle safety. Motorcycle helmets offer motorcyclists involved in traffic crashes the best protection from head injury, and the passage of helmet use laws governing all motorcycle riders is the most effective method of getting all motorcyclists to wear helmets. NHTSA encourages all motorcycle riders to wear helmets.
All motorcycle helmets sold in the United States are required to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218, the performance standard which establishes the minimum level of protection helmets must afford each user.
Numerous studies have proven that helmets do not impair the user's vision or hearing. All helmets provide a field of view greater than 210 degrees and often provide an advantage in hearing warning signals by reducing wind and engine noise.
Currently, 25 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico require helmet
usage by all motorcycle operators and passengers. In another 22 states, only
persons under a specific age, usually 18, are required to wear helmets. Three
states have no laws requiring helmet use.
Data on crashes in states where only minors are required to wear helmets show that fewer than 40 percent of fatally injured minors were wearing helmets when they were killed, even though the law requires them to do so. Helmet laws that govern only minors are extremely difficult to enforce.
Data from Louisiana, the first state to repeal and then re-adopt a full helmet law, showed a 30 percent reduction in fatalities (40 fewer deaths) during 1982, the first year after the reenactment of the state's helmet law. This reduction occurred even though motorcycle registrations increased by 6 percent during the year. The helmet use rate increased from roughly 50 percent to 96 percent.
Failure to use motorcycle helmets places a large financial burden on society and individual states. A number of studies have been conducted that compare hospital costs for helmeted and unhelmeted motorcyclists involved in traffic crashes. They have found that unhelmeted riders involved in crashes are less likely to have insurance and more likely to have higher hospital costs than helmeted riders involved in similar crashes.
In Louisiana, the average cost per motorcycle crash decreased by 48 percent from 1981 to 1982, the first year of its helmet use law. Dramatic differences were found in hospital stay lengths between helmeted and unhelmeted riders.
Studies show that the costs of treating helmeted vs. unhelmeted motorcyclists at various hospitals across the country ranged from $2,438 to $13,368 for helmeted motorcyclists and $3,368 to $30,365 for unhelmeted riders.
NHTSA estimates that $6.4 billion was saved from 1984 through 1993 because
of the use of motorcycle helmets. An additional $6 billion would have been
saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.
Sources:
Fatalities-Fatal Accident Reporting System, NHTSA
Registered Vehicles - FHWA
