Motorcycle accidents have an absolutely devastating effect on the person driving the motorcycle, and it’s not hard to see why. Motorcyclists have very little safety equipment to help them, and even when they do, the inherently vulnerable nature of their vehicle means that a crash is almost guaranteed to deal them serious injuries. From broken bones to horrible laceration and abrasions, to some truly scary, catastrophic, or even fatal harm, motorcycle accidents are not to be taken lightly.
So to get a grasp on how frequently these wrecks occur in the United States, let’s take a look at how many motorcycle accidents happen every year in the U.S., as well as some other pertinent information in regards to motorcycle use.
In 2012, nearly 5,000 people (4,986) died in motorcycle accidents in the U.S. One year later, that figure declined by 6.4 percent to 4,668 fatalities. Injuries in motorcycle accidents also declined during this time. In 2012, there were roughly 93,000 injured motorcyclists — but in 2013, that figure dropped to roughly 88,000.
But the crucial figure in these statistics is the death rate for vehicle occupants per mile traveled. According to the data, in 2012 motorcyclists were 26 times more likely to die in a crash than a passenger car occupant per mile traveled, and they were 5 times as likely to get injured in a crash as a passenger car occupant per mile traveled.
Even with motorcycle fatalities and motorcyclist injuries on the decline, it is clear that motorcyclists are still in a very vulnerable position out on the road.
Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Motorcycle Crashes,” Accessed March 12, 2015