By their design, motorcycles are far less crash-worthy (i.e., resistant to the effects of collision) than closed vehicles. Motorcyclists and their passengers are more vulnerable to the hazards of weather and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles. They are also less visible to other drivers and pedestrians and less stable than four-wheel vehicles. Additionally, motorcycle operation requires a different combination of physical and mental skills than those used in driving cars and trucks.
Motorcycle Helmet Use, 2000-2021 (1)
| Year | Percent | Year | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 71% | 2017 | 65% |
| 2005 | 48 | 2018 | 71 |
| 2010 | 54 | 2019 | 69 |
| 2015 | 61 | 2020 | 65 |
| 2016 | 65 | 2021 | 67 |
(1) Based on surveys of motorcyclists using helmets meeting Department of Transportation standards. Surveys conducted in October for 1996-2000 and in June thereafter.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Occupant Protection Use Survey, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.
Motorcyclist Fatalities And Fatality Rates, 2013-2022
| Year | Fatalities | Registered motorcycles |
Fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles |
Vehicle miles traveled (millions) |
Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 4,692 | 8,404,687 | 55.83 | 20,366 | 23.04 |
| 2014 | 4,594 | 8,417,718 | 54.58 | 19,970 | 23.00 |
| 2015 | 5,029 | 8,600,936 | 58.47 | 19,606 | 25.65 |
| 2016 | 5,337 | 8,679,380 | 61.49 | 20,445 | 26.10 |
| 2017 | 5,226 | 8,664,108 | 60.32 | 20,149 | 25.94 |
| 2018 | 5,038 | 8,659,741 | 58.18 | 20,076 | 25.09 |
| 2019 | 5,044 | 8,596,314 | 58.68 | 19,688 | 25.62 |
| 2020 (1) | 5,620 | 8,347,435 | 67.33 | 17,947 | 31.31 |
| 2021 | 6,143 | 9,795,491 | 62.71 | 19,642 | 31.27 |
| 2022 (2) | 6,218 | 9,567,664 | 64.99 | 23,765 | 26.16 |
(1) Due to a vehicle classification change, the 2020 and later year data are not comparable to 2019 and earlier years.
(2) Starting in 2022, motorcyclists exclude people on motorized bicycles.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Federal Highway Administration.
Motorcyclist Injuries And Injury Rates, 2013-2022
| Year | Injuries | Registered motorcycles |
Injury rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles |
Vehicle miles traveled (millions) |
Injury rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 88,760 | 8,404,687 | 1,056 | 20,366 | 436 |
| 2014 | 91,987 | 8,417,718 | 1,093 | 19,970 | 461 |
| 2015 | 88,738 | 8,600,936 | 1,032 | 19,606 | 453 |
| 2016 (1) | 104,442 | 8,679,380 | 1,203 | 20,445 | 511 |
| 2017 | 88,592 | 8,664,108 | 1,023 | 20,149 | 440 |
| 2018 | 81,859 | 8,659,741 | 945 | 20,076 | 408 |
| 2019 | 83,814 | 8,596,314 | 975 | 19,688 | 426 |
| 2020 (2) | 80,662 | 8,347,435 | 966 | 17,947 | 449 |
| 2021 | 84,898 | 9,795,491 | 867 | 19,642 | 432 |
| 2022 (3) | 82,687 | 9,567,664 | 864 | 23,765 | 348 |
(1) NHTSA began using police-reported crash data from the Crash Report Sampling System, replacing the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (GES). NCSA has also changed the methodology of estimating people nonfatally injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
(2) Due to a vehicle classification change, the 2020 and later year data are not comparable to 2019 and earlier years.
(3) Starting in 2022, motorcyclists exclude people on motorized bicycles.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Federal Highway Administration.
Occupant Fatality Rates By Vehicle Type, 2011 And 2020
| Fatality rate | Motorcycles | Light trucks | Passenger cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | |||
| Per 100,000 registered vehicles | 54.87 | 7.84 | 9.46 |
| Per 100 million vehicle miles traveled | 24.97 | 0.73 | 0.88 |
| 2020 | |||
| Per 100,000 registered vehicles | 67.08 | 6.90 | 10.79 |
| Per 100 million vehicle miles traveled | 31.64 | 0.74 | 1.15 |
| Percent change, 2011-2020 | |||
| Per 100,000 registered vehicles | 22.3% | -12.0% | 14.1% |
| Per 100 million vehicle miles traveled | 26.7% | 1.4% | 30.7% |
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Motorcyclists Killed, by Time of Day and Day of Week, 2020
| Day of week | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Weekend | Total | ||||
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| Motorcyclists killed | ||||||
| Midnight to 3 am | 151 | 5.5% | 278 | 9.9% | 429 | 7.7% |
| 3 am to 6 am | 79 | 2.9 | 115 | 4.1 | 194 | 3.5 |
| 6 am to 9 am | 166 | 6.0 | 66 | 2.4 | 232 | 4.2 |
| 9 am to Noon | 221 | 8.0 | 205 | 7.3 | 426 | 7.6 |
| Noon to 3 pm | 478 | 17.3 | 418 | 14.9 | 896 | 16.1 |
| 3 pm to 6 pm | 716 | 25.9 | 547 | 19.5 | 1,263 | 22.6 |
| 6 pm to 9 pm | 547 | 19.8 | 676 | 24.1 | 1,223 | 21.9 |
| 9 pm to Midnight | 391 | 14.1 | 483 | 17.2 | 874 | 15.7 |
| Unknown | 16 | 0.6 | 18 | 0.6 | 42 | 0.8 |
| Total | 2,765 | 100.0% | 2,806 | 100.0% | 5,579 (1) | 100.0% |
(1) Includes motorcyclists killed on unknown day of week.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration.
Vehicles Involved In Fatal Crashes By Vehicle Type, 2011 And 2020
| Vehicle involved | 2011 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars | ||
| Involved in crashes | 17,508 | 20,868 |
| Rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled | 1.28 | 1.79 |
| Rate per 100,000 registered vehicles | 13.79 | 16.71 |
| Light trucks (1) | ||
| Involved in crashes | 16,806 | 20,566 |
| Rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled | 1.31 | 1.47 |
| Rate per 100,000 registered vehicles | 14.16 | 13.72 |
| Motorcycles | ||
| Involved in crashes | 4,769 | 5,715 |
| Rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled | 25.72 | 32.41 |
| Rate per 100,000 registered vehicles | 56.52 | 68.71 |
(1) Trucks with 10,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight. Includes pickups, vans, truck-based station wagons and utility vehicles.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Vehicle miles traveled – USDOT, Federal Highway Administration, revised by NHTSA; Registered passenger cars and light trucks – R.L. Polk & Co; Registered motorcycles – USDOT, Federal Highway Administration.
Persons Killed In Total And Alcohol-Impaired Crashes By Person Type, 2020
| Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities (1) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Person type | Total killed | Number | Percent of total killed |
| Vehicle occupants | |||
| Driver | 19,519 | 6,756 | 35% |
| Passenger | 5,966 | 1,866 | 31 |
| Unknown occupant | 51 | 3 | 7 |
| Total | 25,536 | 8,626 | 34% |
| Motorcyclists | 5,579 | 1,803 | 32% |
| Nonoccupants | |||
| Pedestrian | 6,516 | 1,048 | 16 |
| Pedalcyclist | 938 | 126 | 13 |
| Other/unknown | 255 | 51 | 20 |
| Total | 7,709 | 1,225 | 16% |
| Total | 38,824 | 11,654 | 30% |
(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or greater, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Drivers In Fatal Crashes By Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) And Vehicle Type, 2011-2020 (1)
| Passenger car | Light truck | Large truck | Motorcycles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Percent | Percent | Percent | |||||||||
| Year | Total | BAC = 0.01+ | BAC = 0.08+ | Total | BAC = 0.01+ | BAC = 0.08+ | Total | BAC = 0.01+ | BAC = 0.08+ | Total | BAC = 0.01+ | BAC = 0.08+ |
| 2011 | 17,401 | 27% | 24% | 16,706 | 25% | 21% | 3,594 | 3% | 1% | 4,761 | 37% | 29% |
| 2012 | 18,171 | 26 | 23 | 17,230 | 25 | 21 | 3,774 | 3 | 2 | 5,108 | 35 | 28 |
| 2013 | 17,850 | 27 | 23 | 16,810 | 25 | 21 | 3,872 | 4 | 2 | 4,795 | 35 | 27 |
| 2014 | 17,802 | 26 | 22 | 17,040 | 25 | 22 | 3,701 | 3 | 2 | 4,703 | 37 | 29 |
| 2015 | 19,688 | 25 | 21 | 18,763 | 24 | 21 | 4,019 | 2 | 1 | 5,126 | 34 | 26 |
| 2016 | 20,730 | 24 | 21 | 19,951 | 23 | 20 | 4,152 | 3 | 2 | 5,414 | 32 | 25 |
| 2017 | 20,895 | 24 | 21 | 19,847 | 23 | 20 | 4,600 | 4 | 3 | 5,316 | 35 | 27 |
| 2018 | 20,175 | 24 | 21 | 19,663 | 22 | 19 | 4,786 | 5 | 3 | 5,108 | 33 | 25 |
| 2019 | 19,469 | 24 | 20 | 19,704 | 22 | 19 | 4,949 | 3 | 2 | 5,111 | 36 | 29 |
| 2020 | 20,742 | 26 | 23 | 20,402 | 23 | 19 | 4,778 | 4 | 3 | 5,711 | 34 | 27 |
(1) NHTSA estimates alcohol involvement when alcohol test results are unknown.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration.
