Reckless Riders Offered Sobering Data In Hopes For Change

You may hear them before you can see them- a motorcycle bellowing out either the low pitched thunder from a traditional bike or the high pitched rev from a highly tuned performance machine. As the weather warms, citizens here in Delaware are most likely to experience the increased presence of motorcycles on our roadways. Last spring and summer, the Delaware State Police had investigated far too many serious and fatal motorcycle crashes and witnessed many acts of reckless riding behavior. Thus, the hope is that by presenting some very sobering data to the motoring public, we can reduce the number of these types of occurrences. It is prudent and important to first note that the vast majority of motorcycle operators enjoy this means of transportation safely and they follow the rules of the road. Unfortunately, it is the small percentage of reckless operators that create hazerdos driving conditions on our highways.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), "nearly half of all motorcycle driver deaths involve just the motorcycle and no other vehicle. This proportion has remained largely unchanged over time. Speeding and alcohol use contribute to many of these fatal single-vehicle crashes. In 2007, 48 percent of the 2,087 motorcycle drivers killed in single-vehicle fatal crashes were speeding. Forty-one percent of motorcycle drivers killed in single-vehicle crashes in 2007 had blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher Over one quarter, or twenty-six percent, of motorcycle riders who were involved in fatal crashes were riding without a valid license in this same year."

The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) supported these findings and in one report and they focused on the implication of impaired riding. NHTSA says that "in 2007, 27 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 percent (the national definition of drunk driving), compared with 23 percent of drivers of passenger cars, 23 percent of light truck drivers and 1 percent of large truck drivers in fatal crashes." They added that an additional 8 percent of these fatal crashes involved operators who's BAC was at a lower level (0.01 to 0.07 percent BAC.)

Speeding also plays a major factor in fatal motorcycle crashes. The most recent data available from NHTSA was for the year 2007. In this report, it states that "36 percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding. This compares to 24 percent for drivers of passenger cars, 19 percent for light truck drivers and 8 percent for large truck drivers." With speed in mind, the IIHS draws a correlation to the type of bike one may ride how it relates to fatal crashes. They advise, "Motorcyclists who drive supersport motorcycles, which make up a small fraction of registered motorcycles, and are overrepresented in fatal crashes. The driver death rate per 10,000 registered motorcycles for supersports is about 4 times higher than the rate for motorcyclists who ride cruisers, standards, or touring bikes. Supersport motorcycles are built on racing platforms but modified for the highway and sold to consumers. A combination of light weight and high-horsepower engines means many of these motorcycles can reach speeds of more than 160 miles per hour."

The Delaware State Police hopes that those who choose to ride motorcycles here in Delaware do so safely and in accordance to state law. Again, the goal of this news release is not to discourage anyone from riding a motorcycle, but to encourage safe riding habits by underscoring the key factors that are involved in fatal crashes.

Sources:
www.iihs.org/research/qanda/motorcycles.html
www.nhtsa.gov