Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Motorcycle accident statistics are in a class by themselves. This is partly due to the agencies concerned with such information — the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — which categorize motorcycle accidents separately from other vehicular accidents.

At the motorcycle injury firm of Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation, we have compiled various accident statistics from the CDC and NHTSA. For additional information, call us at (310) 683-2300.

Interesting motorcycle and motorcycle accident statistics from various safety groups include:

• 6,084 motorcyclists were killed in traffic collisions in 2021.
• Intoxicated motorcyclists accounted for nearly 30% of all motorcycle fatalities in 2021.
• In about 30% of all fatal motorcycle accidents, the rider was speeding, which has some notable overlap with intoxicated motorcyclists, too.
• Around 38% of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2021 were riding without valid motorcycle licenses. Safety researchers speculate a correlation between no licensure, intoxication, and speeding among motorcyclists.
• Motorcycle fatalities occur about 28 times more frequently than fatalities suffered by people in passenger vehicles when gauging them per mile traveled.
• Between 2000 and 2021, the rate of motorcycle accident fatalities increased by 210%, even though the total number of motorcyclists did not increase by this amount.
• Only three states still do not have motorcycle helmet laws in place — Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire — despite the inarguable fact that motorcycle helmets save lives.
• Historically, helmet use increases to 90% or greater after a helmet law is implemented. Helmet use across the United States hovered around 70% in 2021, but 38% of motorcycle accident fatalities were suffered by riders with no helmet.
• Helmet use helps reduce the risk of a motorcyclist's fatality in a crash by nearly 40% and makes the rider less likely to suffer any head injury by nearly 70%.
• More than half of all non-fatal motorcycle injuries treated in emergency rooms were to the leg/foot (30%) or head/neck (22%).
• Nearly $10 billion could be saved in total losses – such as medical costs, lost production, and disability services – each year if all motorcyclists were required to wear helmets at all times.
• Motorcycles made up 3% of all registered vehicles in the US in 2021 but accounted for almost 15% of all traffic collision fatalities.
• The highest death and injury rates among motorcycle riders in 2021 were suffered by riders aged 50 or older and by a wide margin.
• The rate of motorcycle accident fatalities for riders under age 30 has fallen consistently in the last 10 years.
• In 2021, 92% of motorcycle accident fatalities were suffered by male riders.
• Approximately 186,000 motorcyclists have died between 1975-2021 after the 1966 passage of the Highway Safety and National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Contact Our Firm for Your Free Consultation

Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation is here to help you navigate the legal arena after your motorcycle accident. Speak with our motorcycle accident attorney by calling (310) 683-2300 or filling out our online form. 

Sources: 
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812826 
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812785 
https://www.bts.gov/content/number-us-aircraft-vehicles-vessels-and-other-conveyances 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_fatality_rate_in_U.S._by_year