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NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATON --
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/

The motorcycle community is experiencing astounding growth.

Exposure, measured in terms of vehicle miles of travel (VMT) in 2001,
shows that motorcyclists were about 26 times as likely to die in a crash
than someone riding in a passenger car, and are 5 times as likely to be
injured. This is a steep increase from 1997, when motorcyclists were 14
times as likely to die in a crash than someone
riding in a passenger car.

According to NHTSA's National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), a
nationally representative observational survey of motorcycle helmet,
safety belt, and child safety seat use, helmet use for motorcycle
operators fell from 71 percent in 2000 to 58 percent in 2002. This drop
is statistically significant and corresponds to a
striking 45 percent increase in nonuse.

Rider impairment and speeding also remain major contributing factors in
these unnecessary and preventable crashes (both are discussed in greater
detail later in this document); however, some other findings extracted
from FARS provide further insight into possible reasons for escalating
motorcyclist fatalities:

1. Half of the fatalities in single vehicle crashes relate to problems
negotiating a curve prior to a crash;

2. Over 80 percent of motorcycle fatalities in single vehicle crashes
occur off the roadway (a crash occurring on the shoulder, median,
roadside, outside right-of-way, off roadway - location unknown, in a
parking lane, separator and gore. A gore is an area of land where two
roadways diverge or converge.);

3. Almost 60 percent of motorcyclist fatalities in single vehicle
crashes occur at night;

4. Collisions with fixed objects are a significant factor in over half
of motorcycle fatalities in single vehicle crashes.

The increase in motorcycle-related deaths and injuries calls for new
program actions to supplement existing initiatives. There have been
periods of major improvement in motorcycle safety, especially since the
implementation of Federal laws and programs that were first established
over 35 years ago.

But escalating fatality and injury trends sound a warning trend.

Motorcyclists age 40 and over riding larger motorcycle engine sizes
account for the fastest growing group of motorcyclist fatalities.

Fatalities on undivided, rural roadways have also increased
significantly.

The agency has not determined why there have been alarming increases in
fatalities. This unfortunate reversal is occurring while overall traffic
deaths remain at historic lows.