AMA says motorcycle crashes are up!

GPW

Donating Member
Registered
A07013
July 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bill Kresnak
Telephone: (614) 856-1900, ext. 1247
E-mail: bkresnak@ama-cycle.org
Motorcyclist fatalities up 5 percent in 2006

The increase in fatalities among motorcyclists reported this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscores the critical need for new research into the causes of motorcycle crashes, the American Motorcyclist Association reports.

According to NHTSA data released this week, 4,810 motorcyclists were killed on the nation's highways during 2006, an increase of 5 percent over 2005. That marks the ninth year of increasing deaths after more than a decade of declining fatalities.

For several years, the AMA and the motorcycling community have been campaigning to get federal funding for a comprehensive study into the causes of traffic crashes involving motorcycles. The last such study was completed in 1980, and its conclusions have become less useful as the traffic environment has changed over the past quarter-century.

Recently, Congress appropriated funding for a motorcycle-crash study that required the motorcycling community to come up with matching funds before the research can begin. Thanks to a major contribution from the motorcycle industry, through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, along with pledges from the American Motorcyclist Association and individual riders, that funding is now assured, and the study should begin this fall at the Oklahoma Transportation Center, which is an independent and respected research center at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

"The increasing number of fatalities among motorcyclists over the past nine years have concerned us," said Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations. "And that's why we've worked so hard to get an updated study of the causes of motorcycle crashes.

"We look forward to getting this valuable research that will help save lives on the nation's highways."


The American Motorcyclist Association: rights. riding. racing.
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a non-profit organization with more than 280,000 members. The Association's purpose is to pursue, protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com.
 
Well Yeah
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, but does it take into account more motorcycles on the road which also according to the AMA is up over 10%)
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Stats only make since if you know what your compairing it to. Apples to Apples or Oranges to Oranges, or Apples to Oranges. Can make a big difference. I would like to see the numbers showing per cent killed VS per cent of bikes on the road. Now that would show if the rate is up. By only using raw numbers, well that means whatever number did die, but as a per cent, is it more ? We might not be doing as bad as it shows. I know one death is too much, but we have to be real. Riding a motorcycle or doing anything can kill you. We know our hobby isn't the safest and with as many bikes on the road, lots of us are going to get killed each year. Facts are Facts, good or bad  
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(BA BUSA @ Jul. 26 2007,15:35) 5% increase in fatalities...but 10% more riders
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Remember that's 5% more fatalities, not 5% more in the total number compaired to the total number of riders now. We're dealing with smaller numbers with the fatalities vs the total number of riders. So a 5% increase could be a small number when compaired to each other in the fatalities department  
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I was in a MSF Ridercoach meeting last weekend and we were briefed on the stats. I don't have any numbers here. We talked about the same issues. Sales and registration numbers are up as well but the accident rate is still going up slightly even when bumped against these numbers.

Miles ridden are the hard stats to gather data on.

Visiting the local shops in my area the last year, I'm seeing old bikes coming out of the woodwork due to increased gas prices. Some have continued to be registered but no miles until now. Some of these same riders have never had any safety training and it has been some time since thay have ridden. Scary!
 
(DaCol. @ Jul. 26 2007,15:54)
(BA BUSA @ Jul. 26 2007,15:35) 5% increase in fatalities...but 10% more riders
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Remember that's 5% more fatalities, not 5% more in the total number compaired to the total number of riders now. We're dealing with smaller numbers with the fatalities vs the total number of riders. So a 5% increase could be a small number when compaired to each other in the fatalities department  
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I know that there are 5% more fatalities in 06 than in 05...but how many more riders in 06 overall
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Hey its just news.....I am sure if we pooled through all of those 4810 crashes there was a way out, or a better way. Just ride safe all!
 
(GPW @ Jul. 26 2007,16:24) Hey its just news.....I am sure if we pooled through all of those 4810 crashes there was a way out, or a better way. Just ride safe all!
More like hype...we all know that more people are riding now than ever before. So if there are 10% more people riding
in 06 vs. 05 and fatalities have gone up by 5%.

More people may have died, but the % of riders may have gone down.
 
(BA BUSA @ Jul. 26 2007,16:32)
(GPW @ Jul. 26 2007,16:24) Hey its just news.....I am sure if we pooled through all of those 4810 crashes there was a way out, or a better way. Just ride safe all!
More like hype...we all know that more people are riding now than ever before. So if there are 10% more people riding
in 06 vs. 05 and fatalities have gone up by 5%.

More people may have died, but the % of riders may have gone down.
4810 people dead is not hype. If they were all buried in your back yard it would be amazing. My point is, I have ridden for 24 years...have not been down yet. You can ride and even ride really fast and not crash. We all know shid happens, for the most part things are preventable.

I spent 16 years doing accident investigation............many people are dead because of stupid stuff................no matter how many died last year or next year or ten years ago, would be nice if the number for 2008 was ZERO.
 
I'm seeing more sportbike riders without a lid on! Too stupid if you ask me. That doo rag isn't gonna keep your skull in place either.
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you know... 42.5% of all statistics are made up on the spot...
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(GPW @ Jul. 26 2007,16:46)
(BA BUSA @ Jul. 26 2007,16
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(GPW @ Jul. 26 2007,16:24) Hey its just news.....I am sure if we pooled through all of those 4810 crashes there was a way out, or a better way. Just ride safe all!
More like hype...we all know that more people are riding now than ever before. So if there are 10% more people riding
in 06 vs. 05 and fatalities have gone up by 5%.

More people may have died, but the % of riders may have gone down.
4810 people dead is not hype. If they were all buried in your back yard it would be amazing. My point is, I have ridden for 24 years...have not been down yet. You can ride and even ride really fast and not crash. We all know shid happens, for the most part things are preventable.

I spent 16 years doing accident investigation............many people are dead because of stupid stuff................no matter how many died last year or next year or ten years ago, would be nice if the number for 2008 was ZERO.
It is sad that people do die in accidents
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the "hype" is the AMA stating that fatalities are up 5%...no
other #'s to put the story in perspective
 
(Sloto200 @ Jul. 26 2007,19:31) you know...   42.5% of all statistics are made up on the spot...      
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That's true, but only 34% of the time!
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(GoFaster @ Jul. 26 2007,19:36)
(Sloto200 @ Jul. 26 2007,19:31) you know...   42.5% of all statistics are made up on the spot...      
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That's true, but only 34% of the time!
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Listen up! I studied statistics in college (in my best "know-it-all" voice)...and I've concluded you have a 12% chance of being correct.

Therefore, I can come up with a stat that makes any point you want to make in some indirect fashion.
 
I for one would like to see an update of the Hurt report. I studied it before I got back on a street bike after 15 years off. I found the info useful as it identified the common causes and scenarios of accidents. I think it helps me be a better rider and anticipate potential problems.

Here is a link to a summary of the Hurt Report, published in 1981.

I agree statistics have to be seen as what they are- and  I dont think the exact percentage or incidence of mortality rates is the important point. Rather, the causes of death and injury would be the most useful information, which could be used to educate the public and riders to ultimately reduce accident rates.
 
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