Helmets are for sissy's? Read on

[Bazza]

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

According to a 2001 report on motorcycle accident statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 38,000 motorcyclists died in single vehicle motorcycle crashes between 1975 and 1999. This statistic accounts for 45 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes during this time period. There was a historic low of 937 fatalities in 1996 and 1997, followed by a 21.7 percent increase in motorcyclist fatalities from 1997 to 1999.
In the decade between 1990 and 1999, there were 11,038 deaths due to single vehicle motorcycle accidents. During the same time period, statistics show that there were roughly 294,000 non-fatal single vehicle motorcycle crashes. Of these, approximately 39,000 involved only property damage, while 255,000 involved injury to the motorcyclist.
Analysts of these statistics say that several factors contribute to the high number of deaths by motorcycle accidents. In more than 50 percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents, the driver was not wearing a helmet. (In Colorado, Illinois and Iowa, there are no law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets; in a number of other states, helmets are only required for riders under age 20, 18, 17 or 14 in Maine.) Nearly one-third of fatally injured motorcyclists did not have proper licensing to operate the motorcycle at the time of their death.
Many fatal motorcycle accidents occur on rural or undivided roadways. Statistics also show that almost two-thirds of fatal motorcycle accidents are associated with speeding; almost 60 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents happen at night; and high blood alcohol concentration levels are also a major factor in many fatal motorcycle accidents. Almost 25 percent of all motorcycle accident fatalities occur as a result of braking or steering maneuvers, and half involve negotiating a curve prior to the accident. Accidents that involve faulty mechanisms may be the fault of the motorcycle manufacturer and not the driver.
According to the NHTSA report, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in an accident than an automobile occupant; additionally, he is three times more likely to be injured in a crash.
Head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents, proving the importance of helmet use for all motorcyclists. The NHTSA estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of death in a motorcycle accident by 29 percent.