Some people say cars are safer to drive, while others dispute that. You may also believe that motorcycles offer better safety than other vehicles.
The best thing that will help you learn whether motorcycles are more dangerous than cars is real-time statistics.
So let’s consider the motorcycle death statistics vs cars to help you decide which vehicle to drive.
Motorcycle Accidents Vs Car Accidents: A Comparison
Here is a comparison of motorcycle death statistics vs cars in detail:
Motorcycle Death Statistics vs Cars: Motorcycle Crash Stats
In 2021, about 5,932 motorcycle riders lost their lives in traffic crashes. This number saw an increase in fatalities as compared to previous years. Riding a motorcycle offers less safety to drivers because the vehicle is open.
Many people also don’t wear helmets when riding motorcycles. This is one of the top factors affecting bike crashes in the US.
Typically, the chances of death in a motorcycle crash are 30 times greater than fatality in a car accident.
This is why motorcycle death statistics vs cars offer accurate insights into motor crashes. The fatalities of motorcycle riders also increased by 1% from 2021 to 2022.
Meanwhile, motorcycle crash deaths have increased by 32% in the last decade.
Car Accident Statistics
In 2020, about 5.2 million car crashes occurred in the US. Out of these, 35,766 were fatal accidents, while, 3.6 million led to property damage. These collisions are increasing as time passes due to more number of car users.
Motorcycle death statistics vs cars also show that car accidents occur more frequently. Many such crashes occur due to impaired driving. People driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol cause accidents often.
About 51% of fatal car accidents in the US are because of driving while being intoxicated. These crashes usually take place during the night.
What Are The Leading Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents Vs Car Accidents?
Now that you know some basic motorcycle death statistics vs cars, you may be wondering about the causes of these accidents. If so, let’s look at the top ones:
1. Driving While Drunk
Drunk driving is one of the top contributing factors to motorcycle death statistics vs cars. About every day, 37 people in the US die in crashes related to drunk driving.
This means that one person dies in a drunk driving accident about every 39 minutes. From 2021 to 2022, 14% has been seen in deaths due to drunk driving.
The sad thing is that all of these deaths were preventable. If drivers start being more careful, the fatality rate of many car and motorcycle accidents can decrease.
Most drunk driving accidents are mainly car crashes instead of motorcycle incidents. In 2018, about 23% of people who passed away in car accidents were under the age of 25.
Many of these cases were related to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Such accidents have a higher rate of occurring at night. This is why you must be highly cautious when on the road in the dark.
You can also practice safety by avoiding using your car while drunk. Instead, you may hire a designated driver or take a cab to avoid getting into an accident.
2. Speeding
Another leading cause of traffic accidents in the US is speeding. This factor contributes to motorcycle death statistics vs cars similarly.
About 29% of fatal car accidents in the US occur because of speeding. Meanwhile, 34% of fatal motorcycle crashes happen due to the same reason.
Driving too fast is a risk factor for accidents because it prevents the vehicle from stopping at the right time. That is because the braking distance increases.
People also lose control of their vehicles easily when speeding on roads. This is especially true for motorcycles. Regardless of fatality, the chances of a motor crash increase during speeding.
Sometimes you may end up with a few scrapes while speeding a car or motorcycle. However, the accident can lead to death if the collision occurs with another vehicle.
3. Weather Conditions
Weather conditions affect the working capacity of vehicles in different ways. For example, drivers may lose control of their cars on wet roads during rain. Their brakes also work less efficiently in such weather.
This is why drivers are advised to maintain a slow speed on wet roads to avoid accidents. Similarly, bikes may slip on wet roads especially when making turns due to lesser traction.
Smog may also lead to conditions during specific times of the year. That is because drivers experience low visibility in such weather. Accidents due to bad weather conditions are easily preventable through early warnings.
You should also check the weather forecast before leaving your house. It is also advisable to not leave your property during thunderstorms to avoid injuries.
Bad weather conditions can lead to multiple car collisions. You may also crash into stationary objects such as a tree.
4. Lower Vehicle Visibility
Some vehicles such as motorcycles are not easily visible on roads especially from afar. Many car drivers complain that they didn’t see the bike driver during the collision.
This factor has also been proven by the dash cam footage of many cars. A motorcycle is less visible than a car due to its smaller size. A rider’s clothing may also reduce their vehicle’s visibility further.
Crashes due to lower visibility are common when a car is turning on a street and abruptly hits a motorcycle rider. Typically, bikers sustain more injuries than car drivers in such accidents.
This is why one must be highly alert to avoid contributing to motorcycle death statistics vs cars.
5. Lane Splitting
Lane splitting is one of the common factors affecting motorcycle death statistics vs cars. This action contributes to the fatalities of bikers since motorcyclists split lanes more often.
Because of a high accident rate, lane splitting is not allowed in 49 states of the US. Doing it will not only get you into an accident but also put you in legal trouble.
Vehicles that split lanes are likely to hit the rear of another car. The chances of fatality during lane-splitting accidents are 1 to 3%. Most people experience torso injuries in such crashes.
These accidents are more common in California because lane splitting is legally allowed in this state. Of course, you can only do it between stopped lanes or when traffic is moving slowly.
In other states of the US, you can get a traffic ticket when splitting lanes.
6. Collisions With Stationary Objects
You may believe that collisions with stationary objects are uncommon, but that is not true. About 45% of fatalities in the US were because of a vehicle crashing into a tree.
This percentage was 3% greater than the deaths in 2020. Cars may ram into a tree or a light pole if the driver is drunk. For example, about 11% of fatalities occur when vehicles crash into utility poles.
Some vehicles also crash into stationary objects to save animals that abruptly appear on roads.
That is why you must consider such collisions when looking at motorcycle death statistics vs cars. Collisions with traffic barriers are also highly common in the US.
Such accidents usually happen when car drivers or motorcyclists are speeding. That is why, 9% of fatalities occur when vehicles collide with traffic barriers.
7. Unmarked Road Dangers
Some motor accidents also occur due to negligence of road safety organizations. For instance, there may not be signs of “Under Construction” on specific roads. This can lead to a person driving on an unstable road.
Caution signs are also put on specific roads which may be slippery for a prolonged time due to heavy snowfall. Accidents can occur frequently if people drive on such roads.
Unmarked road dangers can also lead to pedestrian crashes often. For example, a crosswalk may not be made on a specific road.
Are Motorcycles More Dangerous Than Cars?
Some people consider cars to be more dangerous than motorcycles. That is because many motor crashes involve cars. Typically, bikes are more dangerous than cars due to fewer security features.
The motorcycle death statistics vs cars below will also help you understand why bikes are more dangerous.
Fatalities And Injuries From Motorcycles
In 2021, about 83,000 people suffered from injuries while riding motorcycles. This means that for every 100 million miles traveled that year about 468 people suffered from injuries.
Motorcycle riders are 6 times more likely to receive injuries during car accidents than other vehicle users. Bike crashes also lead to injuries or death about 80% of the time.
This is why one must be cautious when riding motorcycles in the US. The injury rate for specific states also affects your chances of getting into an accident.
For example, about 2,400 motorcycle injuries occurred in Florida out of a total of 2,555 motorcycle accidents in 2023. The remaining figure accounts for fatal accidents.
Fatalities And Injuries From Cars
In 2022, about 42,795 fatal car accidents occurred in the US. This saw an increase of about 6,000 crashes since 2018. However, there is hope for people because the rate of deadly car crashes is less than 1% in the nation.
For example, in 2021 about 6.1 million car crash reports were received by the police authorities. However, only 39,508 were fatal accidents. The remaining led to injuries of varying degrees.
Many accidents also only lead to property damage instead of injuries or death. This is mainly because of the closed nature and better security features of cars.
These motorcycle death statistics vs cars show that the former vehicle is more dangerous.
Why Are Motorcycles More Dangerous?
Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars due to various reasons such as:
- Lack of safety because the vehicle has an open structure
- Lower stability due to smaller contact area with roads
- Untrained drivers lacking the skills to change lanes or turn with the right balance
- Lower visibility than cars and trucks
- Greater susceptibility to road hazards such as potholes, slippery surfaces, and water puddles causing the rider to lose vehicle control
- Decreasing handling in specific weather conditions such as rain, snow, and strong winds
- Reaches a higher acceleration rate than cars easily causing difficulty in controlling the bike in emergency conditions
Riding a motorcycle may be enjoyable for you, but it is necessary to practice safety on a bike. Otherwise, you may contribute to motorcycle death statistics vs cars.
How To Practice Safety On A Motorcycle?
Let’s look at some safety practices that may help you reduce motorcycle death statistics vs cars:
1. Use Helmets
A motorcycle crash may occur less frequently than a car accident, but it leads to more fatalities. The leading cause of fatal injuries is a lack of helmets. This small accessory is 37% effective for preventing such wounds.
That is because a helmet reduces the impact of a crash on a rider’s head. Blunt force trauma to the head is one of the top causes of death during a motorcycle accident.
The usage of helmets while riding bikes has decreased by 4.5% since 2018. Another benefit of wearing a helmet is that it also increases your motorcycle’s visibility on the road.
This is especially true if you wear a bright helmet of red, green, or another color.
2. Get Proper Safety Gear
Many people believe a helmet is the only safety gear they can get for riding a bike. However, that is not true. Specific items have been designed to enhance the safety of motorcyclists. These include:
- A face shield such as protective eyewear
- Motorcycle boots to protect your feet from severe trauma
- A leather jacket to reduce impact when a bike slides on a road
- Armor pads for shoulders, elbows, or knees
These items will enhance the visibility of your bike, allowing other vehicle users to see you easily. Specific clothing made for motorcyclists also prevents trauma during accidents.
So instead of fatality, you may experience minor injuries due to such precautions. This safety practice can also affect motorcycle death statistics vs cars by reducing the overall figures.
3. Avoid Driving Too Close To Other Vehicles
One of the common causes behind a motorcycle crash is the lack of space between vehicles. Many bikers are in a rush to reach their destinations and avoid traffic.
That is why they drive too close to other vehicles, especially when trying to cross a traffic light before it turns red. Such a hurry leads to crashes often, especially when a car is turning and a bike appears on its side abruptly.
By maintaining space between other vehicles, you can save yourself from suffering significant injuries.
4. Avoid Distractions
Distractions during driving lead to motorcycle accidents often. You may be trying to make a reel for your social media account while doing motorcycle stunts.
These can lead to severe injuries and fatality often, depending on the danger level of the stunt. You may also be distracted by the engine noise of your vehicle.
Wearing earplugs may help you avoid being distracted by your own bike. Using your phone when riding a motorcycle is also dangerous because it can reduce your reaction time when another vehicle is moving toward you.
This is why focusing on the road and being alert to vehicles around you will help you.
5. Check The Weather Conditions Before Riding Your Motorcycle
We have already discussed how weather conditions affect motorcycle death statistics vs cars. Rain can cause your bike to slide on the road because of lower traction.
Meanwhile, fog can reduce the visibility of your vehicle even further. It is better to avoid using your bike on days with a forecast of uncertain weather.
If you are driving a bike in the rain, you can exercise caution by driving slowly. Splitting lanes in such weather is a bad idea. So maintain your position in one lane to avoid abrupt crashes.
FAQs
What Is The Mortality Of Motorcycles?
The current fatality rate of motorcyclists is 26.16 per 100 million vehicles. This accounts for 6,218 fatalities.
What Are Most Motorcycle Deaths Caused By?
Most motorcycle deaths are caused by a lack of helmets which leads to riders suffering from significant trauma. Another leading cause of fatalities on bikes is speeding.
How Many Motorcycles Deaths In A Year In The United States?
More than 5,000 people die due to motorcycle accidents in the US per year. The exact figure depends on how the risk factors during each year.
What Age Group Has The Most Motorcycle Deaths?
Young adults aged between 25 to 29 are involved in fatal crashes usually. Another group that is affected by motorcycle deaths is older adults above age 50.
Contact A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer In Winter Park Florida
These are the top motorcycle death statistics vs cars. Motorcycle accidents occur less frequently but cause more fatalities due to high danger.
You may also suffer from injuries due to the fault of another driver. In such cases, you may want to file a claim against the at-fault party.
So contact us today to learn about how to deal with motorcycle accidents legally.
