Motorcyclists already have a hard enough time dealing with the dangers of the road. They are more exposed and have bigger problems than drivers of covered vehicles.
Highways in particular have a huge negative impact on motorcyclists. Unfortunately, this trend only seems to worsen with time.
What do the statistics say?
In recent years, Forbes has taken a look at highways that are dangerous for motorcyclists. Statistically speaking, over the last 25 years, motorcycle fatalities on U.S. highways have nearly doubled. Needless to say, this is an alarming statistic for many.
In 2020 alone, 5,579 motorcyclists ended up killed due to a crash on the highway. Not only is this 11 percent higher than 2019’s numbers, but it is double the number of deaths in 1997. 2020 saw the highest number of recorded motorcyclist deaths since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration first started collecting data in 1975.
Factors leading to this rise
Of course, many people want to know what is happening to make driving so much riskier for motorcyclists than ever before.
The answer is not cut and dried, however. In reality, numerous things may contribute to this rise in crashes. For one, more cars are on the roads than ever before, which means that accident numbers rise accordingly.
Some studies also show that reluctance to wear a helmet has maintained or even worsened over the years. Despite the fact that bikers without helmets are 3 times more likely to sustain head trauma, many do not wear them to this day.
Together, these factors combine to drastically increase a motorcyclist’s risk of suffering from severe or even lethal injury.