Study Warns about Possible Increase in Motorcycle Accident Fatalities over Next Few Years

Friday, April 22nd, 2011 | Lawyer Marketing

The Governors’ Highway Safety Association has released new fatal motorcycle accident statistics for the year 2010, and it’s not a pretty picture.  Granted, the overall number of motorcycle accident fatalities in 2010 declined by 2.4% over the previous year.  However, 2.4% is an insignificant number when you consider that in 2009, the decline in motorcycle accident fatalities had been 16%.  There were 4, 376 motorcycle accident fatalities in 2010.

This minimal decline is not the only reason why California motorcycle accident attorneys would caution against being too optimistic about the decline in fatalities this year.  2010 was the second year in a row that recorded a drop in motorcycle accident fatalities, and already, the decline seems to be tapering off.  For instance, much of the decline was seen in the first few months of the year, when there were fewer motorcyclists on the road.  During the latter part of the year, there was actually an increase in motorcycle accident fatalities.

The Governors’ Highway Safety Association is warning that in 2011 and over the next few years, states around the country are likely to see an increase in motorcycle accident fatalities unless they take drastic steps.  For instance, according to the report, helmet use around the country actually dropped in 2010.  The use of helmets approved by the US Department of Transportation declined by as much as 16% in 2010.  There are studies to show that non-helmeted motorcyclists are at a much higher risk of fatal injuries in an accident.

The state of California actually recorded some of the most substantial declines in motorcycle accident fatalities last year.  California did not report its total number of motorcycle accident fatalities for the first nine months of 2009.  However, in the first six months of 2009, there had been 201 motorcycle accident fatalities in California, and those numbers dropped to 166 motorcycle accident fatalities in the first six months of 2010.  That is a decline of 35, and while it’s impressive, we could be doing more to save motorcyclist lives every year.

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