Motorcycle Fatalities Jump In VA, Which Has Strict Helmet Law

WASHINGTON, DC — There’s some good news tucked in with the bad news about motorcyclist fatalities in the United States: Motorcyclists are still dying at a much higher rate than other motorists, but fatalities decreased in 2017 compared to 2016, when deaths hit an eight-year high. In Virginia, the number of motorcycle fatalities jumped 43.8 percent during the period, while the District of Columbia saw deaths drop 66.7 percent in the same timeframe.

Preliminary data from the Governors Highway Safety Association showed that 115 motorcycle fatalities were reported in Virginia in 2017, while the number was 80 in 2016. In DC, there were six motorcycle fatalities in 2017, and only two in 2017. Nationwide, 4,798 people were killed in motorcycle crashes in 2017, compared to 5,251 the year prior, an 8.6 percent decrease, according to the report.

A variety of factors contribute to motorcycle fatalities, including poor decisions by the operator and hazards created by other motorists, the weather and wildlife, but a big contributing factor is helmet use.

Only 19 states and the District of Columbia require all motorcyclists and their passengers to wear helmets. Another 28 states require helmet use by younger riders, and three states — Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire — have no helmet laws at all. Virginia requires helmet use for all riders.

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Helmet use is about 37 percent effective in preventing motorcyclist deaths and about 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Pro-helmet forces, including insurance groups, doctors and accident survivors, have beat back recent efforts in some states to loosen helmet laws, drowning out the thunder of freedom-loving motorcyclists who want to ride bareheaded.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets would be “the single most effective way for states to save lives and save money,” a position backed up by public research.

Still, it’s an uphill battle.

The American Motorcyclist Association “strongly encourages” the voluntary use of helmets and other personal protective equipment, including gloves and sturdy footwear, but stopped short of endorsing a mandate for universal helmet laws.

“The AMA believes that adults should have the right to voluntarily decide when to wear a helmet,” the group said in a position statement. “The AMA does not oppose laws requiring helmets for minor motorcycle operators and passengers.”

TELL US: Virginia and the District of Columbia require helmet use by all motorcycle riders regardless of age. Do you think the law should be changed, or is it sufficient as currently written?

Helmet use isn’t the only factor in motorcyclist deaths. Alcohol use plays a big role, too, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. The group’s report shows that in 2016, riders were legally drunk in 25 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes — the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers among all vehicle types.

Additionally, 37 percent of riders killed in single-vehicle crashes in 2016 were legally drunk. Statistics for 2017 weren’t available.

In the past, younger, less experienced riders have been overrepresented in motorcyclist fatalities, but that is changing. Over the last four years, riders over age 40 comprised the greatest share of motorcyclist fatalities nationwide, and several states reported increases in older driver fatalities in 2017.

Riders in that group comprised 55 percent of all riders killed in 2013 and 54 percent in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The average age of riders killed in motorcycle crashes in 2016 was 43, compared to 42 in the three years prior.

Read the full report here.

Photo via Shutterstock