II. RECENT TRENDS
The motorcycle community is experiencing astounding growth. New unit sales
of on-highway motorcycles have increased approximately 91 percent since
1997. In 2001, motorcycles represented 2.2 percent of all registered vehicles
in the United States and accounted for 0.34 percent of vehicle miles traveled,
but crashes involving motorcycles accounted for 7.6 percent of total traffic
fatalities on America’s roadways. The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC)
expects motorcycle sales to continue to increase over the next 5 to 7
years – meaning more motorcycles on our Nation’s roadways. MIC estimates
that 471,000 new on-highway motorcycles were sold in the United States
in 2000 alone compared to 379,000 in 1999.
[3]
Exposure, measured in terms of vehicle miles of travel (VMT) in 2001,
shows that motorcyclists were about 26 times as likely to die in a crash
than someone riding in a passenger car, and are 5 times as likely to be
injured. This is a steep increase from 1997, when motorcyclists were 14
times as likely to die in a crash than someone riding in a passenger car.
Per registered vehicle, the fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2001 was
4.1 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants. The injury rate
for passenger car occupants per registered vehicle was 1.2 times the injury
rate for motorcyclists.
A recent analysis of age trends shows that over the past 10 years, fatalities
in the 20 to 29 year old age group, the group with consistently the highest
annual number of motorcycle fatalities, decreased, while fatalities in
the 40 and over age groups increased. During this time, however, there
were more driving age individuals in the 40 and over age group in the
United States.
Since 1980, motorcycle ownership among the 40 and over age group has increased
significantly, from 15.1 percent in 1980 to 43.7 percent in 1998.
[4]
Likewise, rural motorcycle fatalities have been increasing and have, in fact, surpassed urban fatalities in the years 1998 through 2001.
Another recent trend indicates that the engine size of the majority of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes has been increasing, as well. The mean engine displacement of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes has increased from an average engine size of 769 cc in 1990 to 959 cc in 2001, an increase of 24.7 percent.
Further, the mean age of motorcyclists’ fatalities has also increased from 29.3 years in 1990 to 36.3 years in 2001. The analysis also indicates a corresponding rise in the average age of motorcyclists killed and greater involvement of motorcycles with larger engines in fatal crashes.
According to NHTSA’s National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), a nationally representative observational survey of motorcycle helmet, safety belt, and child safety seat use, helmet use for motorcycle operators fell from 71 percent in 2000 to 58 percent in 2002. This drop is statistically significant and corresponds to a striking 45 percent increase in nonuse.
Rider impairment and speeding also remain major contributing factors in these unnecessary and preventable crashes (both are discussed in greater detail later in this document); however, some other findings extracted from FARS provide further insight into possible reasons for escalating motorcyclist fatalities:
Half
of the fatalities in single vehicle crashes relate to problems negotiating
a curve prior to a crash;
Over
80 percent of motorcycle fatalities in single vehicle crashes occur
off the roadway (a crash occurring on the shoulder, median, roadside,
outside right-of-way, off roadway – location unknown, in a parking lane,
separator and gore. A gore is an area of land where two roadways diverge
or converge.);
Almost
60 percent of motorcyclist fatalities in single vehicle crashes occur
at night;
Collisions
with fixed objects are a significant factor in over half of motorcycle
fatalities in single vehicle crashes.
The increase in motorcycle-related deaths and injuries calls for new program actions to supplement existing initiatives. There have been periods of major improvement in motorcycle safety, especially since the implementation of Federal laws and programs that were first established over 35 years ago. But escalating fatality and injury trends sound a warning trend. Motorcyclists age 40 and over riding larger motorcycle engine sizes account for the fastest growing group of motorcyclist fatalities. Fatalities on undivided, rural roadways have also increased significantly. The agency has not determined why there have been alarming increases in fatalities. This unfortunate reversal is occurring while overall traffic deaths remain at historic lows.