Deaths of Motorcyclists Continue to Rise

by Jordan Yerman | August 15, 2008 at 08:24 am

955 views | 28 Recommendations | 15 comments

In 2007, US motorcycle deaths spiked by over six percent. Sadly, this isn't surprising, as fuel prices creep upwards and bikes get more popular with younger people and women, which are two markets previously not as interested in one-wheel drive. Sadly, this is not surprising, since I am unaware of any state or province in which a bike course is mandatory, as drivers' training is. Indeed, one can learn (such as it is) to ride in a parking lot and then take the road test, since it's only a sign-reading test. Yes, the instructors will try to trip you up with school zones and lots of left-turn lanes, but they also won't take you through busy intersections, nor do the tests take place at night. In Canada, one must first take a preliminary test, which involves cones and a parking lot. This is, of course, useless for riding on the street. I assure you, I've never had to swerve out of the way of an oncoming orange cone. In licensing, bike control is assumed, which should not be the case. (Disclosure: I'm a huge bike-course snob, and the stuff I learned has saved my you-know-what on more than one occasion)

Riding is serious- very serious, and it amazes me how many people don't see that. Here in Toronto, the majority of riders are cruising around in shorts and t-shirts... Riding as a squid doesn't make the ride inherently more dangerous, but seriously escalates any potential accident. How good a rider are you? Once you've asked yourself that, how good a driver are those 1,000 cars you'll pass on the way downtown? There are ways to manage the risk.

Deaths of people in cars and trucks, on bicycles or on foot dropped by nearly 2,000 last year, pushing the overall death rate to a historic low. But deaths of motorcyclists surged 6.6 percent, to 5,154; 2007 was the 10th straight year of increase.

These numbers are from last year, before the massive fuel-price rise would have taken effect.

This is not a US-only trend, either, as Ontario's Ministry of Transportation reports a similar surge in motorbike-related fatalities over time:

In the introduction to the 2005 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report (ORSAR) released last month, Transportation Minister Jim Bradley states "the number of fatalities on Ontario's roads declined for the third year in a row." It is not until page 27 of the 105-page report where it states that there was a 57 per cent increase in motorcycle riders killed. The largest fatality increase was in the 45-to-65 group. These older riders accounted for half of the fatalities.

Motorcyclists requiring hospital treatment after an accident increased by 14 per cent.

Indeed the death of the Vancouver Canucks' Luc Bourdon at age 18 stunned the nation, and sent a chill through the insurance industry over sportbikes, as Bourdon was riding a GSXR (super sport):

That promise of things to come will remain unfulfilled after the 21-year-old defenceman, who helped Canada win two gold medals at the world junior hockey championship, died Thursday in a motorcycle accident near his hometown of Shippagan, N.B.

Indeed, when I was re-insuring my own bike, that instance was quoted by two different carriers over why they would no longer insure "high-performance bikes"; one rep stated, "we won't insure anything over 1000cc, or anything with the word 'ninja' in it!". Even my own humble SV650S became a dolphin in the tuna net, since it's no super-sport bike by any stretch of the imagination.

Several of our staff and members ride motorcycles or scooters- what do you think?

[jordan always rides with ballistics, as his armored leather jacket and kevlar trousers make him look like a total badass, along with giving him confidence in the corkscrew corners with uneven pavement]

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Emilio Lizardo

at 08:42 on August 15th, 2008

This is why I don't ride a bike here in the states - traffic velocities are way, way, way too high.

I was very suprised to learn, when I worked in transportation research that the 50th-percentile of mortality for traffic-crash victims is around 40 mph! This can be misleading at first view. What it means is that half the people who come to an instanteous stop when they are traveling at 40 mph will die.

Since most traffic crash victims are inside of vehicles, say cars or trucks, and hopefully are wearing seat-belts, when their vehicle hits something solid their bodies do not stop instaneously. The car-frame folds up, the seat-belt takes up some of the energy, and so their bodies come gradually to rest. Hence, when belted into a vehicle moving at even 60 or 70 mph a person inside may well survive a crash.

The case is somewhat altered for a motorcycle rider and his passenger, because they really aren't surrounded by anything that will take the impact for them ...

While living in India I rode my bike all the time and had a few doozies of a crash, but never was really too badly injured. The roads where I lived tended to be either in such a poor state of repair or in such hair-pinned mountainous terrain that vehicle speeds were always comparatively quite low.

Emilio Lizardo

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:45 on August 15th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Nicole Billard

at 08:52 on August 15th, 2008

Thanks for this, JY. To riders everywhere: Jump out of the back of your car while it's going 50 km/h... then tell me your t-shirt and jeans are fine attire for that trip to the store. Even on a scooter, it's crazy to think that a skirt and heels are appropriate if you've got a helmet on.

For the record, I am one of those people who got licensed in Ontario after a course held entirely in a parking lot. I did not see a road of any kind until AFTER I had a full motorcycle license in my hand. That is just bananas. I hear all the time about how riding is dangerous; well, it is. Take driving and riding seriously! Speed limits and protective gear are recommended for a reason. Be prepared to make mistakes and KNOW that others will.

I've had the great good luck of being a complete chicken, and took my time on back alleys and quiet streets to learn how to handle my new bike, and never ride without full gear (okay, once without boots, but I had full gear on otherwise).

I've even seen women who lead ladies motorcycle group rides, wearing a blouse and jeans while they ride their Harley to work... BA-Nan-AS. It's no wonder new riders think it's all about the look.

Wear it. Watch it. Wheels down... that's it.

Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:01 on August 15th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Motor Biking in Japan is a lot safer, maybe because they are so many that do ride them here!

Albotography

at 12:41 on August 15th, 2008

I was driving cross country from New York to Seattle with a friend and it just happened to be during the Sturgis motorcycle rally, so there was tons of bikes everywhere. I was really shocked by the number of riders not wearing any helmet or protective gear at all while traveling at such high speeds. I'm not surprised there would be an increase in motorcycle related deaths on account of this pseudo-macho posturing.

Albotography has contributed a photo to this story.

SOLARLIFE

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:11 on August 15th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. "motorcycles", you need to be full conscious, every minute. can be great fun. Now the worst scooter drivers at the french riviera. No drivers license and no numberplate for the scooters. Half of them smoking pot, to many accidents. Police introduced a brandnew canabis test, many walk home. 1100 ccm should be banned from french streets, being used as weapons, digital full speed without brain. Not all of them, added the Easy rider image for some fun.

Cheez_It2008

at 14:24 on August 15th, 2008

Becareful and wear your gear!

Cheez_It2008 has contributed a photo to this story.

altrugon

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:39 on August 15th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I'm tired of comments like you pointed here "we won't insure anything over 1000cc, or anything with the word 'ninja' in it!".

Listen insurance company, according to the law I need an insurance to ride my bike and you sell/give them... so?????

In my opinion this should be a total ilegal action because "us" as rider can't go to the policeman and say "officer don't fine me, fine the insurance company because they don't want to give me one".

PlanMyGreen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:49 on August 15th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff. Though I know motorcycles are not the leading cause of death in the Midwest US, I personally have know 3 young people in the past 5 years that have been killed on sport bikes. It very well may have to do with the fact that we do not have a helmet law, though I am glad to see that it is still illegal here to drive down the center line on the interstate as I have seen in some other states. I have nothing against bikes, just hate to see inexperienced people killed, especially when it has usually involved showing off or using extremely risky behavior on an already risky vehicle.

Barry Artiste

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:16 on August 15th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff. Like they say "Ass, Grass, Take a Right Pass, Nobody lives forever."

My Son wants to sell his car because of Gas Prices, and buy a sportbike, and I told him, have you seen the drivers (Cars) in this city? Son, Give your Head a Shake!

JeffHuang

at 15:30 on August 15th, 2008

I saw a small Chinese lady wearing a tank top and short shorts riding a honda cbr. It was... interesting...

Nicole Billard

at 15:41 on August 15th, 2008

I'm surprised you noticed what kind of bike it was... good for you! ;O)

anvancy

at 20:16 on August 15th, 2008

it is getting more and more dangerous!!people dont know much about rules..they happily ride like they are into some daytona races..give excuses like my head pains when i wear a helmet..my hair falls down..
what they dont understand is that if their face gets smacked then the actual beauty is lost!

anvancy has contributed a photo to this story.

World_Groove

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 22:25 on August 15th, 2008

i stayed off my v-max this year

Stevesworldofphotos

at 07:23 on August 19th, 2008

I try to make my motorcycle safety my responsibility as much as possible. I can't control everything (and everyone else) on the road, but I ride as safely and defensively as possible. I wear a helmet, jacket, long pants and real shoes whenever I go out, and passengers can't get on the back unless they are wearing a helmet as well.

I just shake my head when I see people riding without gear. Yes, the wind feels good, but I am a grownup and I know I can feel the wind after I get off the bike - alive and happy.

Stevesworldofphotos has contributed a photo to this story.