Motorcycle Accident Stats In North Carolina

North Carolina Motorcycle Stats 2019

Motorcycles riding is a fun activity as well as an efficient means of transport. Most riders will tell you that they wouldn’t give up anything for riding. Most riders, however, don’t recognize the dangers associated with motorcycle riding, especially if not well armored. Motorcycle accidents are reported to be fatal and often leave the rider with slim survival chances or with gruesome injuries.

In North Carolina, the situation is no different. Motorcycle accidents statistics in this state indicate that deaths and severe injuries are often the results of motorcycle accidents. What’s more, these accidents subject those involved, or their keen, to any legal and medical processes. They are required to file a personal injury claim before their case can be acted upon. The riders also lose property since their motorcycles are in most cases written off, not forgetting the pain and suffering they go through.

Statistics For Motorcycle Accidents In North Carolina

Most motorcycle accidents occur when other road users fail to recognize motorcycle riders as any other vehicle on the road. They have the same rights and responsibilities on the roads as any other automobile driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half of all motorcycle accidents involve another motor vehicle. Out of these accidents, about 40% of them occurred as a result of the other driver turning left in front of the oncoming and unspotted motorcyclist.

From the recent statistics collected by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, motorcycles are involved in an average of 4,269 crashes in a year. Further, 160 motorcycle riders were killed in that year while 3,666 others were injured. During that year when the statistics were taken, it was noted that the number of motorcycle riders that were killed increased by 14% from the previous year. Out of 631 moped crashes in that year, 20 were fatalities while 562 resulted in injury.

The report goes on to indicate that out of 201 motorbike or motor scooter accidents, 6 were fatalities while 196 resulted in the injury of those involved. What’s more, in a two-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle, moped, or motor scooter, 90% of the riders were injured while 3% were killed.

• Crash statistics indicate that 186 people died from North Carolina motorcycle accidents in 2015.   This was up from 150 deaths in 2014 and 147 in 2013. * From the article on Asheville NC Motorcycle Accidents by Lakota R. Denton.

• In 2016, there were 152 deaths from motorcycle wrecks in the NC area. In 2017 that number thankfully went down to 141.

On average, motorcyclists in North Carolina accounted for 15% of the total traffic fatalities. Statistics also indicate that 52% of all motorcycles involved in fatal road crashes collided with another class of motor vehicle.

It would be right to say that motorcycle riders cannot always prevent these accidents. However, it is essential for riders to understand the common risk factors and causes on the roads for them to avoid the occurrence of crashes on the road.

Below are more statistics regarding motorcycle accidents, according to NHTSA, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

•    Riders aged 50 years and older register the highest count of injuries and death following motorcycle crashes, closely followed by those who are 30 years and younger.

•    In 2015, nearly 88,000 people were involved in non-fatal injuries involving motorcycles.

•    During the same year, 4,976 motorcycle riders in NC died in motorcycle crashes, which was an 8% increase from 2014.

•    According to NCDOT, nearly 75% of motorcycle vs. car crashes are side impact or head-on collisions.

•    About 30% of the fatal motorcycle accidents are a result of overspending while 30% are associated with drunk driving.

•    In North Carolina, which has universal helmet laws, approximately 8% of riders killed in fatal motorcycle accidents did not wear helmets. This was a significant number, given that about 38% of riders and 47% of passengers killed in fatal crashes nationwide in 2015 did not wear helmets.

•    In the same year, NHTSA estimated that wearing helmets helped save about 1,669 lives.

•    NCDOT advises that passenger cars should allow about 3-4 seconds of tailing distance whenever they are driving behind a motorcycle to reduce the chances of a crash occurring.

North Carolina registers an average of 4,269 motorcycle accidents annually, with most casualties of these accidents being riders aged 50 years and over. Most of the deaths that occur following motorcycle accidents could be prevented if the riders and passengers were wearing helmets.

Ultimately, motorcycle accidents can be prevented by observing the rights of motorcycle riders on the roads.  If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident in North Carolina, you need the services of an NC personal injury lawyer who focuses on motorcycle accidents. 

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