This may be a bit old since the data are from 2008, but the 82% statistic was a bit surprising. (Source: NC DMV)

• Motorcycles represent about 2 percent of all registered vehicles in NC, but account for about 10 percent of all fatalities on our roads.
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• As of Sept 1st of 2007, 63 % of all crashes involving motorcycles were single vehicle crashes (motorcycle only).
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• Of those crashes involving other vehicles, over half (53%) were the fault of the motorcyclist.
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• Of those motorcyclist at fault crashes 81% occurred when the rider crossed the centerline either while passing another vehicle or while negotiating a curve.
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• Of those other vehicle at fault crashes 57% were failure to yield right of way at an intersection and 43% were turning left across the motorcycles path.
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• The majority (82.7%) of motorcycle fatal crashes occurred because of the fault of the motorcyclist.

 

heres another one for ya.......

I have NEVER crashed in NC

 

Those numbers sound about right. Think about the most recent bike crahes around Charlotte, the majority have been crotch rockets losing it at high speeds or cruisers heading home from a bar drunk. For those that try to ride responsibly, cagers are the biggest threat. For those that ride like idiots or drink and ride, they are their own worst enemies...

 

Those statistics are NOT surprising if you follow safety and training. The following is what I was taught at motor school and is what I pass on to others in class. You will see how it incorporates some of the above NC Statistics.

The Number 1 cause of motorcycle accidents is Failure To Negotiate a Curve. Three out of the first four of those NC statistics could be grouped right here. Like the statistics report most of the accidents are single vehicle involved meaning ONLY the bike was present. This means the rider just ran off the road. Sure, there may be other mitigating factors such as the presence of wildlife, road condition, debris, weather, visibility around the curve, mechanical problems but most of the time this happens due to excessive speed and rider error. The rider was going too fast and lost control.

The Number 1 cause of motorcycle Fatalities, the area where where we DIE, is at intersections. There is traffic coming from ALL sides at different speeds and sometimes there are pedestrians present. That is why intersections are known as KILL ZONES. And the number 1 reason is another vehicle violating the motorcyclists right of way. The second reason is the motorcyclist violating the right of way of another vehicle. So it's either traffic NOT seeing us or trying to beat us across the intersection, or the motorcyclist NOT seeing the on coming traffic or trying to beat the approaching cars across the intersection.

Mark

 

Seriously... I would like to see the statistics broken down by age of the rider & bike type.

 

Julie,

I'm sure that would be a very tell tale statistic. I would add Gender in that search too.

One thing that I do know is that motorcycle accidents happen across the entire age spectrum with the majority being either new young riders (those feeling bullet proof) and older returning riders (those who need a refresher).

I find it interesting that most of the riders who take Ride Like A Pro West Coast from me are either older returning male riders, or women. I don't get a whole lot of new young riders, at least until AFTER they have had an accident or two. Most are older men 50 plus who rode in their 20s, got married had kids, sold the bike, raised the kids, kids moved out and they bought another bike. Only to discover that like their other sports those skills have diminshed with time and lack of use. So they take the course. The other group is women of ALL ages who want to ride on their own.

If I had to rough a guess based only what I have seen or heard and no hard statistics, I would say that the majority of accidents are either younger/newer riders on sport bikes pushing the envelope, or older returning riders jumping back on the street with cruisers and touring bikes using skills that erroded 30 years ago.

Mark

 

I am curious about how many riders use conscious counter steering. My best guess is that it is around 50/50. Crossing the center line is what happens when lean steering meets reality head on.

 

Great point.

I would say that everybody uses countersteering (otherwise they would NEVER make it around any curve) but not everybody understands it. I have found that crossing that center line happens when folks go into a curve too fast and in that moment of truth go back to "driving a car" instead of ridng a motorcycle. Then they meet reality head on as you said.

By that I mean they abandon their motorcycle skills and start thinking that like a car they need to turn the wheel more into the turn. This in fact countersteers them directly across the center line and into oncoming traffic. This is often compounded when riders do incorrect things like look at the on coming traffic, decellerate, or apply brakes.

So the only way to minimize this is to practice countersteering and cornering on a regular basis. And riding to see the sights and get a bite with your friends is NOT the same as practice.

Mark

 

Interesting statistics and good points made.....

 

North Carolina has (or had until recently) a loophole in the motorcycle laws.

A person could get a learner's permit that was good for 18 months by passing a vision and short written exam.

The learner's permit could be renewed indefinitely. So that means you could ride on North Carolina's roads without ever taking a practical test or having a full motorcycle license.