Motorcycle Deaths Declined Last Year, But Experts Are Still Worried

April 2011

Motorcycle deaths were down in the first half of last year, but experts do not think that this is a lasting trend. State transportation officials worry that a number of factors, including a drop in helmet use, could actually cause the fatality rate to rise.

From January to September of 2010, there were 80 fewer motorcycle deaths than during the same time span the previous year, said the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). However, fatalities started to increase during the last three months of that time period, something that has safety officials concerned. According to a report by the GHSA, motorcycle fatalities were down 25 percent during the first three months of last year, down one percent in the three months after that, then rose three percent in the third quarter of the year.

Experts attribute that increase to several different factors. Some say the recovering economy may mean that more people will return to recreational riding. Others say that rising gas prices could lead to more people using motorcycles as their primary form of transportation. Finally, experts are worried about decreased helmet use. The number of bikers who wore federally-approved helmets dropped 13 percent in the first nine months of 2010 while the number of bikers who wore "novelty" helmets – which experts say offer little protection – increased nine percent.