Motorcycle Accident Statistics 2023

The Odds of Crashing a Motorcycle

Although motorcycles make up only 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S., they account for over 5 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 2006-2020 data about motorcycle crashes. During this period, 39 percent of crashes involved fatalities, 47 percent involved injuries only, and 14 percent involved property damage only.

During this time, the number of motorcycle crashes increased by 11 percent, with an average year-over-year increase of 1 percent, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

• Alcohol: In 2020, 30 percent of motorcycle crashes involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, meaning they were alcohol-impaired.
• Bad weather: Bad weather was involved in 13 percent of motorcycle accidents.
• Distraction: Seven percent of all motorcycle crashes involved distraction.
• Fixed objects: Many motorcycle accidents don’t involve other moving objects like cars. Rather, they involve collisions with fixed objects, like hitting parked cars.
• 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 2020.

In 2020, 9,208 motorcycle riders and passengers were involved in fatal crashes, making motorcycles one of the most deadly forms of motor vehicles.

By Setting

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

Year

From 2006 to 2020, the number of deaths from motorcycle accidents increased by 18 percent, an average increase of 1 percent each year.

Time of Day

In 2020, the majority of accidents involving motorcycle deaths occurred between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., which includes rush hour.

Day of Week

Most motorcycle fatalities in 2020 occurred on the weekends — 41 percent, to be exact. Twenty-two percent of all fatalities occurred on Saturdays, while 19 percent occurred on Sundays.

Weather

Seventy-eight percent of motorcycle fatalities in 2020 occurred during fine weather. Ten percent occurred during cloudy conditions, while only 2 percent occurred during rainy weather.

Rural vs. Urban

In 2020, most motorcycle deaths occurred in urban settings at 64 percent. Only 34 percent occurred in rural settings.

State

Florida had the largest number of motorcycle fatalities in 2020 with 564 deaths. This number accounted for 11 percent of all motorcycle fatalities in the U.S. that year.

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 2020, more than 70 percent of ATV deaths occurred from accidents involving only a single ATV, compared to 40 percent of single-vehicle motorcycle deaths and 47 percent of single-vehicle passenger vehicle deaths. On their own, ATVs are more dangerous than motorcycles and passenger vehicles.²

Engine Size

Nearly half of all motorcycle drivers killed in 2020 had engines of 1,000 ccs or smaller; of those, most had supersport motorcycles. Thirty-four percent had engine sizes of 1,401 cc or higher.

By Person

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

Age

The plurality of people who die in motorcycle crashes (22 percent) are between the ages of 25 and 34. People ages 25 to 54 make up over half of all motorcycle fatalities.

Sex

Seventy-four percent of motorcycle fatalities are men, while only 24 percent are women.

Driver’s License

Nearly a third of people killed in motorcycle accidents since 2008 didn’t have valid licenses at the time of their deaths. Compare that to passenger vehicle deaths, where only 16 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 2020 wore helmets at the times 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.

BAC

A BAC of .08 percent or higher means a person is not sober and cannot drive safely. Among motorcycle fatalities in 2020, 30 percent involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher, while 17 percent had BACs of .15 or higher, meaning they were extremely impaired.

Occupant or Non-Occupant Type

Eighty percent of people killed in motorcycle accidents in 2020 were drivers, the majority of whom were drunk. Nineteen percent were passengers.

Crash Type

In 2020, the most deadly manner of collision for motorcycles was at an angle, which made up 40 percent of fatalities that year. However, a significant number, 30 percent, were collisions with objects other than moving cars. As you can see below, fixed objects can be deadly for motorcyclists.

Speeding

Thirty-five percent of all motorcycle fatalities in 2020 involved speeding.

Nearly half of all motorcycle accidents in 2020 were injury-only. Let’s take a closer look at the data.

By Year

From 2006 to 2020, motorcycle accidents that resulted in injuries increased by 18 percent, an average increase of 1 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 injuries³

Some positive news is that, according to National Safety Council data, helmet use among motorcyclists increased by 12 percent from 2002 to 2021 — going from 58 percent to 65 percent.⁴ Helmet use peaked in 2018-2019 with 71 percent usage among motorcyclists.

According to a report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, only 18 states and Washington, D.C., require motorcyclists of all ages to wear helmets. These regulations are referred to as universal helmet laws. In contrast, 29 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.⁵

Just how many motorcycles are in the U.S.? Data is available through 2020.

Number of Registered Motorcycles in the U.S.

As per the most recent data from the National Safety Council, there are 8.3 million registered motorcycles in the U.S., a 14 percent increase from 2007. However, since 2018, the number of registered motorcycles has declined after peaking in 2017 with 8.7 million.

Vehicle Miles Traveled

Although there are more registered motorcycles in 2020 compared to 2007, the total vehicle miles traveled has decreased by 18 percent and has been on the decline since 2016. From 2019 to 2020 alone, vehicle miles traveled decreased by 10 percent, which may have been a side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. As people were forced to stay inside, they drove their vehicles less and were less likely to register new ones.

Driving a motorcycle is an inherently risky activity, much riskier than driving a passenger vehicle. However, with knowledge of the latest death and injury statistics, plus an understanding of the best ways to stay safe, you can lessen your chances of accidents.

We used the following third parties to compile this report:

• Consumer Federation
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
• J.D. Power
• Motorcycle Safety Foundation
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Library of Medicine
• National Safety Council