Understanding the growing risk of motorcycling

There is no question that motorcycles are less safe than passenger vehicles. They’re exposed in ways other vehicles aren’t. They have no frame to protect a passenger or driver, putting them at risk every time they’re on the road. Whether it’s a single-vehicle collision or one as a result of multiple people colliding, the person on a motorcycle is always at a higher risk of injury.

Motorcyclists are also more likely to suffer as a result of the road conditions and weather. Closed vehicles may handle potholes and ice better than a vehicle with only two wheels to grip the roadway.

In 2016, 65 percent of motorcyclists used helmets when riding. That’s actually slightly lower than in 1998, the first year in the data, which showed that 67 percent of motorcyclists wearing helmets. 2016 also had one of the highest rates of motorcyclist fatalities from between 2007 and 2016, although there were around a million more motorcyclists registered in 2016 compared to 2008, the year with the greatest number of fatalities.

The injury rates have fallen, which is good news. In 2015, there were 88,000 reported injuries from motorcycle crashes, while 2007 had 103,000.

If you ride a motorcycle, keep these statistics in mind. Passenger vehicle drivers aren’t the only ones who cause motorcycle crashes, but they’re more likely to as a result of not seeing a motorcycle in time or misinterpreting its movements. If you’re hit, know your rights. You can pursue a claim; your injuries need time to heal without you having to worry about your finances.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Facts Statistics: Motorcycle crashes,” accessed Feb. 28, 2018