Motorcycle Accident Statistics in 2024

The Odds of Crashing a Motorcycle

Although motorcycles make up only 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S., they account for 15 percent of traffic fatalities, making them much more dangerous to ride than regular passenger vehicles. ¹

Deaths vs. Injuries: Which Are More Common?

Injuries are more common than fatalities based on 2022 data about motorcycle crashes. During that year, the fatality rate per 100,000 registered vehicles was 65, while the injury rate was 864.²

In addition, the number of motorcycle fatalities increased by 1 percent, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

• Alcohol: In 2022, 42 percent of motorcycle riders who died had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, meaning they were alcohol-impaired.
• Fixed objects: Many motorcycle accidents don’t involve other moving objects like cars. Rather, they involve collisions with fixed objects, like hitting parked cars.
• Lack of awareness: Many motorcycle accidents occur because drivers of other vehicles fail to detect the presence of a motorcycle, particularly when turning or changing lanes.
• Lane splitting: Riding down the middle of the lane on a motorcycle is dangerous and causes a significant percentage of accidents.
• Low visibility: Low visibility is a huge issue for motorcyclists, which is why it’s important to wear brightly colored clothing and reflective gear (more on that below).
• Speeding: Speeding was involved in 35 percent of motorcycle crashes in 2022.

In 2022, 6,218 motorcycle riders and passengers were involved in fatal crashes, making motorcycles one of the most deadly motor vehicles.

By Setting

Read on to find out where and when most motorcycle-related deaths occur.

Year

From 2013 to 2021, the number of deaths from motorcycle accidents increased by almost 33 percent, an average increase of almost 4 percent each year.

Time of Day

In 2022, the majority of accidents involving motorcycle deaths occurred between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., which includes rush hour.³

Day of Week

Most motorcycle fatalities in 2022 occurred on the weekends, defined as the hours between 6 p.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Monday — 46 percent, to be exact.³

Weather and Light Conditions

The vast majority —  97 percent — of motorcycle fatalities in 2022 occurred during clear or cloudy weather. Only 2 percent occurred during rainy weather, while 1 percent occurred during snow, fog, or other conditions.

More than half of fatalities — 58 percent — occurred during daylight, 37 percent in the dark, 4 percent during dusk, and 1 percent during dawn.

Rural vs. Urban

In 2022, most motorcycle deaths occurred in urban settings at 66 percent. Only 34 percent occurred in rural settings.

State

Florida had the largest number of motorcycle fatalities in 2022 with 668 deaths. This number accounted for 11 percent of all motorcycle fatalities in the U.S. that year. California had the second-most motorcycle fatalities, 634 in 2022, accounting for 10 percent of motorcycle fatalities nationwide.

By Motorcycle Type

Motorcycles vs. ATVs

Along with motorcycles, ATVs are known to be an extremely dangerous form of transportation. Of course, many more people ride in passenger vehicles than in motorcycles and ATVs. However, in 2022, 69 percent of ATV deaths occurred from accidents involving only a single ATV, compared to 37 percent of single-vehicle motorcycle deaths and 45 percent of single-vehicle passenger vehicle deaths. On their own, ATVs are more dangerous than motorcycles and passenger vehicles.³

Engine Size

Nearly half of all motorcycle drivers killed in 2022 had engine sizes of 1,000 cc or smaller; of those, about half had supersport motorcycles. Thirty-four percent had engine sizes of 1,401 cc or higher.

By Demographic

Young men are the demographic group most likely to be killed in motorcycle crashes.

Age

The plurality of people who die in motorcycle crashes (24 percent) are between the ages of 25 and 34. People ages 25 to 54 make up over half of all motorcycle fatalities.²

Sex

In 2022, 92 percent of motorcycle fatalities were men, while only 8 percent were women.³

Driver’s License

More than a third (36 percent) of people killed in motorcycle accidents in 2022 didn’t have valid licenses at the time of their deaths. This percentage has increased from 28 percent in 2013. Compare that to passenger vehicle deaths, where only 19 percent of drivers were unlicensed, and you can see the appetite for risk that correlates with motorcycle driving.

Helmet Use

About six in 10 people killed in motorcycle crashes in 2022 wore helmets at the time of their crashes, while about four in ten did not.

Alcohol Impairment

Alcohol impairment is a major cause of death among all drivers, but since riding motorcycles is particularly dangerous compared to passenger vehicles, DUIs are even more deadly for motorcyclists.

A BAC of .08 percent or higher means a person is not sober and cannot drive safely. Among motorcycle fatalities in 2022, 29 percent involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher, while 18 percent had BACs of .15 or higher, meaning they were extremely impaired.

Crash Type

In 2022, most deadly motorcycle collisions (58 percent) occurred with motor vehicles in transport. In 77 percent of those crashes, the motorcycle was hit in the front, and only 6 percent were hit in the rear. Compared to other types of vehicles, motorcycles were more likely to have fatal collisions with fixed objects.²

Speeding

Thirty-five percent of all motorcycle fatalities in 2022 involved speeding.²

Most motorcycle accidents in 2022 were injury-only. Let’s take a closer look at the data.

By Year

From 2013 to 2022, the number of motorcyclists injured in accidents decreased by 6.8 percent, an average decrease of less than 1 percent (about 0.75 percent) each year.

Most Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

A study published by the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine found that the following types of injuries are the most common in motorcycle accidents:

• Lower extremity injuries
• Chest injuries
• Abdominal and intra-abdominal injuries
• Multiple intrathoracic injuries
• Pelvic ring fractures
• Long bone injuries⁴

Some positive news is that, according to data analyzed by the National Safety Council, helmet use among motorcyclists increased by 8.8 percent from 2002 to 2022 — going from 58 percent to 67 percent.⁵ Helmet use peaked in 2018-2019 with 71 percent usage among motorcyclists.

According to a report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, only 17 states and Washington, D.C., require motorcyclists of all ages to wear helmets. These regulations are referred to as universal helmet laws. In contrast, 30 states only require helmets for those under 25, 20, 18, or 17 years of age (depending on the state), and three states — Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire — don’t require helmets for motorcyclists of any age.

Although motorcycles are inherently dangerous, you can decrease your risk of causing injuries and fatalities by following these best practices for safety.

1. Increase your visibility. One major cause of motorcycle accidents is a lack of visibility. Make yourself more visible by using your headlights and keeping them on at all times, flashing your brake lights when you slow down or stop, and using reflective strips and decals on your motorcycle and clothing.
2. Avoid blind spots. Don’t ride in the blind spots of cars or trucks.
3. Dress correctly. On top of wearing a helmet and eye protection (ideally a full-face helmet), you should wear leather gloves; bright, sturdy and protective clothing; and over-the-ankle boots.
4. Drive defensively. Scan the road ahead of you, maintain a long distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, and use your turn signals. These tactics are all part of driving defensively.
5. Don’t drive drunk. Since motorcycles have higher fatality rates than cars, driving drunk is even more dangerous.
6. Get a good night’s sleep. Avoid drowsy driving and make sure you’re energized when you ride your motorcycle.
7. Stay focused. Avoid distracted driving like answering texts, daydreaming, or talking on the phone.⁶

Just how many motorcycles are in the U.S.? Data is available through 2022.

Number of Registered Motorcycles in the U.S.

As per the most recent data from the National Safety Council, there are over 9.5 million registered motorcycles in the U.S., a 34 percent increase from 2007.

Vehicle Miles Traveled

The total vehicle miles traveled increased by around 11 percent between 2007 and 2022. From 2019 to 2020, vehicle miles traveled decreased by 9 percent, which may have been a side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they have increased by 21 percent from 2019 to 2022.

While behaviors like driving under the influence, speeding, not wearing a helmet, and driving in poor conditions increase your risk of an accident, the majority of crashes take place on clear or cloudy days and involve motorcyclists who are driving sober, adhering to the speed limit, and wearing a helmet. Implementing safety strategies, such as driving defensively and avoiding distractions, can help lessen your chances of accidents.

We used the following third parties to compile this report:

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
• Motorcycle Safety Foundation
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Library of Medicine
• National Safety Council