Deaths Involving Motorcycle Accidents: When Riding Turns Deadly

Riding a motorcycle on the open road can be exhilarating. Plus, for many people, motorcycle clubs offer a great way to socialize and meet people. But unfortunately, motorcycles are undeniably risky. In a car, you have a cage of steel and plastic around you to protect you. When you’re on a bike, your whole body is exposed. Motorcycles are involved in tens of thousands of fatal crashes each year.

As nurses, we’ve all seen some pretty harrowing injuries from motorcycle accidents. From a loss of limbs to devastating traumatic brain injuries, we’ve seen firsthand what can happen when things go wrong on a motorcycle.

But at the same time, there are a surprising number of nurses who ride motorcycles.

If you’re a biker, safety is incredibly important. But even with proper safety gear and responsible riding, you’re still at more risk of severe injury or death than you would be, in a car. That’s something you have to be aware of if you make the choice to ride a motorcycle.

Motorcycle Fatalities By the Numbers

In 2013, there were 4,668 motorcyclists who were killed in motor vehicle accidents. Around 88,000 motorcyclists were injured. Motorcyclists accounted for 14% of traffic fatalities in 2013, as well. This is despite the fact that at that time, motorcycles made up around 3% of all registered vehicles and only 0.7% of total miles traveled.

According to data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), 51% of fatal crashes involving motorcycles were incidents where there was a collision between a motorcycle and another moving motor vehicle. 74% of these were frontal collisions.

Motorcycles are involved in most fatal crashes than any other vehicle.

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