This is a complete list of motorcycle accident statistics in the United States.
In this statistic roundup, we will discuss:
Motorcycle fatalities by year, fatality and injury rates, comparison of fatalities between motorcycles and cars.
In addition, we will also segment the fatalities based on factors including age group, engine cc, alcohol consumption, etc.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in:
Key Accident Statistics (Editors’ Picks)
- Motorcycle accidents: In the United States, motorcycles accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities. Despite making up for only 3% of vehicles.
- Motorcycle fatality rate: The fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles had increased to 60. The fatality rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled had increased to 30.
- Motorcycle injury rate: The injury rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 837. The injury rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled had increased to 421.
- Motorcycles vs Cars: The motorcycle fatality rate is 5x more than the passenger cars per 100,000 registered vehicles. And 24x higher per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
- Age group: For the year 2021 in the United States, the highest number of motorcycle deaths happened in the age group between 25 to 34.
- 35% of motorcycle deaths happened at intersections.
- 29% of motorcycle fatalities involved alcohol impairment (BAC of .08 g/dL or higher).
Motorcycle Fatalities by Year
In 2021, there were 5932 motorcycle rider deaths in the United States.
Motorcycles accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities, 18% of all occupant fatalities, and 4% of all occupant injuries in 2021 (Source).
This statistic is concerning.
Even more so if you consider the proportion of motorcycles to other vehicles.
Motorcycles make up only 3% of registered vehicles in the US. And yet account for 18% of occupant fatalities.
Here are the exact numbers:
| Year | Motorcycle Fatalities |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 4630 |
| 2012 | 4986 |
| 2013 | 4692 |
| 2014 | 4594 |
| 2015 | 5029 |
| 2016 | 5337 |
| 2017 | 5226 |
| 2018 | 5038 |
| 2019 | 5044 |
| 2020 | 5506 |
| 2021 | 5932 |
Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), NHTSA crash stats report – 2021, 2020
Motorcycle Fatality Rate
The motorcycle fatality rate has seen a slight increase over the years in the last decade.
In the US, the fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 54.87 in the year 2011.
In 2021, the fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles had increased to 60.03.
Despite technological improvements, the motorcycle fatality rate is not seeing a decline. This is surprising.
A similar trend is observed when it comes to the fatality rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled.
In 2011, the fatality rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled was 24.97.
In 2021, the fatality rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled had increased to 30.20.
Although the fatality rate in 2020 and 2021 seems like off-years and outliers to the trend, there is no doubt that motorcycle deaths and crashes are NOT seeing a decline.
Motorcycle Injury Rate
Motorcycle injury rate statistics are tough to rely on since the divergence between the reported and not reported cases can be quite high.
Of the reported cases in the US, the injury rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 968 in the year 2011.
In 2021, the injury rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 837.
The years in between have seen higher injury rates.
Similarly, the injury rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled has almost remained the same in the US over the last decade.
In 2011, the injury rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled was 441.
In 2021, the injury rate per 100 million motorcycle miles traveled had reached 421.
Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), NHTSA crash stats report – 2021, 2020
Fatality Rate Of Motorcycles Vs Cars
When compared with passenger cars, the fatality rate of motorcycles is incredibly high. The case for motorcycles being far less safe than cars is reinforced by fatality statistics.
In the US for the year 2021, the fatality rate per 100,000 registered vehicles is 60.03 for motorcycles. For cars, the fatality rate per 100,000 registered vehicles is 12.53. For light trucks, it is 7.52.
That is a huge difference. The motorcycle fatality rate is 5x more than the passenger cars per 100,000 registered vehicles.
The gap in the fatalities is even more pronounced when measured in terms of the distance traveled.
In 2020, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is 30.20 for motorcycles. For passenger cars, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is 1.26. For light trucks, it is even less, 0.76.
This is a concerning gap. The motorcycle fatality rate is 24x more than the passenger cars per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Motorcycles are certainly more dangerous and have more chances of crashes and death when compared to cars.
Sources: NSCInjuryFacts
Motorcycle Fatalities by Age Group
For the year 2021 in the United States, the highest number of motorcycle deaths happened in the age group between 25 to 34.
Around 24% of the motorcyclists who died were aged between 25 to 34.
The older age groups do not fare better either.
60% of the fatalities were motorcycle riders who were between the ages of 25 and 54.
There is no guarantee that with more experience, one would ride more safely.
Motorcycle Fatalities by Engine CC
Most of the motorcycle fatalities were with motorcycle engines with more than 500cc.
Of the motorcyclists killed in 2021, 35% were riding on motorcycles with engine sizes of 500 to 1,000 cubic centimeters (cc).
Followed by 27% on motorcycles of 1,501 cc or higher, 23% on motorcycles between 1,000 to 1,500 cc, and 8% on motorcycles with engine sizes up to 500 cc.
Motorcycle Fatalities by Weather, Land, Location, and Light Conditions
Let’s look into some of the minor factors and the segmentations involving motorcycle crashes.
Most motorcycle fatalities happened during clear or cloudy weather conditions.
Hardly 2% of the crashes were during rains.
This is quite surprising since one would assume rain makes the riding difficult. The roads get slippery. And the chances of a crash are much higher.
Next:
Let’s look at the fatalities at intersections.
35% of motorcycle deaths happened at intersections.
That’s a huge percentage.
So, be careful while riding at the intersections.
What about the statistics by land – rural vs urban?
Urban roads account for 2/3rd of motorcycle fatalities.
This is expected.
As you would expect urban traffic to have a major impact on motorcycle crashes.
What about the time of the day?
More than half of motorcycle accidents happened in broad daylight in 2021.
But a significant number of motorcycle deaths occurred at night time too.
One needs to ride cautiously irrespective of the light conditions.
Motorcycle Fatalities with Alcohol-impaired
Alcohol involvement in motorcycle crashes has been highly significant.
In 2021, there were 5,636 motorcycle riders killed in traffic crashes in the United States.
Of the 5,636 fatalities, 1,624 (29%) were alcohol-impaired (BAC of .08 g/dL or higher).
A whopping 29% of total crashes were alcohol-impaired crashes.
Furthermore:
Motorcycle fatalities at night had more frequent (almost 3X) alcohol involvement.
While 16% of day fatalities involved alcohol, 42% of night fatalities had alcohol impairment.
Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), NHTSA crash stats report – 2021, 2020
Final Words
That’s a wrap for our roundup of motorcycle accidents and crash statistics.
We wanted to put this list of stats together to caution riders about motorcycle safety.
No matter how you slice it, motorcycles are dangerous when you compare them with cars.
We love motorcycles though! But we gotta keep safety first.
Now we would like to hear from you:
What stat surprised you the most? What else would you like to see added to this roundup? Or have a question?
Either way, drop us a message.
Also, here is our post on sales statistics that might be of interest to you on motorcycles.