Are Motorcycle Fatalities Poised For An Increase?

OFF THE WIRE
Are Motorcycle Fatalities Poised For An Increase?
By Jonathan Welsh

A state-by-state survey suggests motorcycle safety could be taking a bad turn. The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report today that takes a state-by-state look at motorcycle fatalities in 2010. The safety group says that while the data are preliminary, it is “quite confident” in forecasting certain troubling developments affecting motorcycle safety.

On the surface the news is good. Motorcyclist traffic fatalities in the U.S. fell by 2.4% in the U.S. based on data from the first nine months of 2010 in the 48 states and the District of Columbia that reported monthly data for the period. The GHSA says it expects motorcyclist fatalities for the full year nationwide be 4,376 or fewer, a decrease of at least 2% from the 4,465 fatalities of 2009.
However, while 2010 was the second year with a decline of deaths in motorcycle crashes, the decrease seems minor compared with the 16% decline in fatalities reported in 2009. The GHSA says it is concerned because the frequency of fatalities increased as 2010 progressed. The group says that in the third quarter, motorcycle deaths increased 3% compared with the same period in 2009.
The group says the number of fatalities went down in about half the states and were up or the same in about half. Some states, including Texas, Oregon and Oklahoma posted big declines while others like New York, Michigan and Wisconsin reported large increases.

The group speculates that the meaning behind the numbers is that motorcycle traffic deaths are on the rise. Rising fuel prices are likely to drive more people toward riding motorcycles as a way of cutting their fuel costs. The group also pointed to a 13% drop in the use of helmets that comply with Department of Transportation regulations.

In the recent survey, safety officials in states with decreased motorcyclist fatalities suggested several explanations, including: a priority on motorcycle safety education, enforcement, motorcyclist training and poor cycling weather. States with increased fatalities cited more motorcycle travel, lower helmet use, and good cycling weather.
Before 2009 the U.S. had more than a decade of steady increases in motorcycle road fatalities.
You can read the new report and see the state-by-state data here.

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2011/04/19/are-motorcycle-fatalities-poised-for-an-increase/?mod=google_news_blog