Not at Fault: 11 Facts about Motorcycle Accidents

Rider vs. Driver: Who’s Really at Fault?

1. 92% of riders are self taught or learned from family, with no official training
40% alcohol related
1. 40% of fatal motorcycle accidents are related to riding while intoxicated
31% unlicensed or using the wrong license
1. Nearly one in three motorcycle fatalities involve a rider with a suspended license or with no motorcycle license.That was 1,495 deaths in 2017, or 4 per day.
34-42% are single-vehicle accidents
1. When riders swerve to avoid a collision, officers at the scene have a hard time pointing at who is at fault or what happened.

58% in the City
1. 58% of fatal accidents occur in urban areas. 38% of fatal accidents are in rural areas.
35% Non-Interstate Major Roads
1. Watch out for all the starts and stops, lane changes, and intersections. Riders are 3.5% more likely to get in a fatal accident on city streets than on the interstate, and 2.5 times more likely to get in a fatal accident on city streets than on minor roads.
40x higher risk in intersections
1. As drivers make left turns, U-turns, or are looking in another direction, riders are at risk
3:00 pm Friday – 9:00 pm Sunday
1. More accidents happen from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday than any time during the rest of the week.

59% vs. 8%
1. 59% of fatal accidents in states WITHOUT universal helmet laws were crashes with no helmets. In states WITH universal helmet laws, 8% of fatal accidents had no helmets.