Motorcycle-Related Fatalities Surge

Motorcycle crash fatalities have spiked, and more collisions involving motorcycles result in traffic deaths than total crashes, new research shows.

The LendingTree research indicates crashes including a motorcycle surged 24% from 2018 to 2022, a period when the number of motorcycles on the road rose by just 4%, %, it said, citing Statista data.

Some states actually experienced declines in motorcycle-involved crashes, but some saw even more pronounced spikes than the national increase, the research found. Vermont has the dubious distinction of leading the way with a 180% jump, though its total fatality numbers are small. It was followed by New Jersey, at 77%, and Montana, at 71%. All three states have motorcycle helmet laws, though Montana requires them only for riders 17 and younger, LendingTree says.

Revealing an added layer of concern around the issue, researchers determined that between 2020 and 2022, more than a third of fatal crashes involving motorcycles included at least one impaired driver.  

The data comes amid growing concern about motorcycle safety due to increasing deaths. In July the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration established an advisory board on motorcycle transportation issues.

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