Riding a motorcycle is a favorite summer pastime for many Colorado and Illinois residents. While the slim, fast vehicles give a good sense of adventure, they are also sometimes dangerous. Data has shown that around half of motorcycle fatalities occur during the summer.
When do motorcycle accidents occur most often?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the summer months see the most motorcycle accidents occur. Out of all the accidents taking place during the year, 12% happen in June and September while 13% occur in July and August.
Fatal motorcycle accidents also increased by 11% between 2019 and 2020. Meanwhile, deadly crashes involving other types of motor vehicles only jumped by 5% during that same time period, meaning that motorcycle accident fatalities were over double that number.
What are a few statistics on fatal motorcycle accidents?
Over four years from 2016 through 2020, the majority of motorcycle accident deaths occurred because of speeding and zooming out. These dangerous habits accounted for 33% of all deaths stemming from motorcycle crashes.
Around half of all motorcycle accidents that resulted in fatalities took place during the weekend between Fridays at 6 PM and Mondays at 6 AM. The numbers were nearly split between fatal motorcycle crashes as 49% occurred over the weekend while the remaining 51% happened during weekdays.
Most deadly motorcycle accidents involve more than one vehicle. This shows that many catastrophic injuries and deaths suffered by riders are more likely to occur when drivers of cars and other, larger vehicles fail to notice motorcycles sharing the roads with them.
Men are also more likely to die in a motorcycle accident than women. Many riders who lose their lives failed to use a helmet while riding. Helmets can reduce fatalities by around 37%, according to the Department of Transportation.