Not even half of the United States requires motorcycle drivers to wear a helmet. This can be read into wrongly, as meaning there are hardly any motorcycle crashes or accidents, but this is not true. In 2008 there were 5, 290 deaths related to motorcycles, according to the Insurance Information Institute. This proved to be the biggest number of motorcycle related deaths to be reported by the Department of Transportation since 1975, the year they began collecting data.
There’s no way to know how many of those deaths could have been prevented if the motorcycle rider would have been wearing a helmet. What you can be sure of though, is that the number of fatalities for motorcycle accidents is rising. As a matter of fact, the I.I.I (Insurance Information Institute), has reported that fatalities have increased each year for the past 11 years.
You can find very interesting statistics in regards to motorcycle fatalities and accidents at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. They reported in 2007 that motorcycle riders were 9 times more likely to be hurt than someone in a wreck that was sitting in the passenger seat of the car and more likely to die by 37 times. Those are some very scary statistics, however they aren’t the worst. The fatality rate in 2008 for motorcycle riders was 6 times greater than the fatality rate of passenger seat occupants.
Having insurance on your motorcycle will help you and your family after a crash, however it won’t help them emotionally if you get injured or die in a crash. That’s something to keep in mind when going out for a ride and a good reason for why you should always wear a helmet when riding. Another option for motorcycle safety is to take a class on how to drive one. This will also reduce your premium. You should also be careful to follow the speed limits and all the driving rules while riding. To support this suggestion, here’s another NHTSA statistic: In 2008, 35% of all the motorcycle riders that had a fatal crash, were speeding. All of those crashes and the subsequent deaths could have been avoided if those riders had been paying attention.
Every safety measure you take to prevent accidents while riding, will keep you from hurting yourself and those around you, regardless if they reduce your premium or not. This way your family will be able to keep their most valued asset, which is you. Give us a call to get a quote on motorcycle insurance coverage and more information on accident prevention.