• October 14th, 2019

Motorcycle safety is at a unique juncture. Overall traffic fatalities are increasing, and motorcyclist fatalities also continue to increase and are near their highest level in over 35 years. In 2017, there were 5,172 motorcyclists killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Compared to the 2,116 killed in 1997, the past 20 years have seen a 144-percent increase in motorcyclist fatalities. It should be noted that despite the absolute increase in motorcyclist fatalities, the fatality rate for motorcyclists as measured per 100,000 registered motorcycles has decreased almost 27 percent since 1988.

Despite significant gains in roadway and vehicle design, including motorcycle design, crashes continue to place a considerable burden on our Nation’s health care system. The $242 billion cost of motor vehicle crashes represents the equivalent of nearly $784 for each of the 308.7 million people living in the United States.