Auto Insurance
Fatal Motorcycle Crashes Up 11% Year Over Year — More Than Double the Rate of All Deadly Vehicle Accidents
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. In the U.S., motorcyclists have the same rights on the road as other drivers. Yet despite this, the number of fatal motorcycle crashes nationwide jumped by 11% between 2019 and 2020. The increase came after three consecutive year-over-year decreases in deadly motorcycle accidents.
The latest ValuePenguin study examines fatal motorcycle crashes over five years from 2016 to 2020 (the latest available data). The details below provide a deeper look at some of the factors in these crashes (such as speeding), time frames (weekday versus weekend and by the month) and where the most deadly motorcycle accidents per registered motorcycle occurred.
- Key findings
- Fatal motorcycle crashes jump 11% year over year
- Speeding involved in 33% of deadly motorcycle accidents — highest among vehicle body types
- About half of fatal motorcycle crashes occur on weekends, amid far shorter time frame
- Texas has most deadly motorcycle accidents per registered motorcycle
- 4 things to know about motorcycle insurance
- Methodology
Key findings
- Fatal motorcycle crashes increased 11% between 2019 and 2020. That’s more than double the 5% jump among all deadly vehicle accidents in the same period.
- Zooming out, speeding was involved in a third of deadly motorcycle accidents between 2016 and 2020. 33% of fatal motorcycle crashes in this period involved speeding, versus 18% of all fatal vehicle accidents.
- Just about half of all fatal motorcycle crashes were over the weekend — a far shorter time frame. 49% of deadly motorcycle accidents in the 2016-to-2020 period occurred over the weekend (6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday), versus 51% on weekdays.
- Nearly half of deadly motorcycle accidents occurred in the summer months. 49% of fatal motorcycle crashes over the five years occurred from June to September, with the highest percentage (13%) in July.
- Texas had the most fatal motorcycle crashes per registered motorcycle. Texas had 6.2 deadly motorcycle accidents per 1,000 registered motorcycles from 2016 to 2020, ahead of Louisiana (5.6) and the District of Columbia (5.6).
Fatal motorcycle crashes jump 11% year over year
The number of deadly motorcycle crashes in the U.S. was pronounced in 2020 at 5,715, an 11% jump over 2019.
See below for additional insight into the number of fatal motorcycle accidents from 2016 to 2020.
Fatal motorcycle crashes (2016 to 2020)
Year | Number of deadly accidents |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5,467 |
| 2017 | 5,381 |
| 2018 | 5,172 |
| 2019 | 5,146 |
| 2020 | 5,715 |
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data
As you can see above, the latest year-over-year jump in deadly motorcycle crashes came after three consecutive years of decreases. The increase, however, is somewhat puzzling since Americans drove far fewer miles in 2020 during the pandemic.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), numerous factors may have contributed to the increased number of vehicle fatalities in 2020 — motorcycle deaths included. Driving habits in the U.S. underwent significant changes during this time. Speeding and alcohol-impaired driving, among other risky driving behaviors, are noted among the potential causes for 2020’s higher fatality rates.
It’s also interesting to note that motorcycle sales climbed during the pandemic. Yet, at the same time, motorcycle safety classes became harder to schedule due to business shutdowns and a higher demand for these services.
In most states, a motorcycle insurance policy is a must if you want to own and drive this type of vehicle. Florida is the only state that doesn’t have this requirement. However, the amount of coverage you need to carry in each state may differ, and motorcycle owners can and should shop around for the best motorcycle insurance coverage.
There was an increase in fatal vehicle accidents in 2020 as well. Deadly vehicle crashes rose by 5% between 2019 and 2020. However, fatal motorcycle accidents increased by more than twice the rate of deadly vehicle crashes overall.
The number of fatal crashes in certain types of vehicles did decline in 2020. Fewer deadly accidents involved light truck vans and buses — likely due to fewer bus trips (especially school bus trips) during the pandemic.
Yet aside from these two categories, the chart below shows how fatal crashes in most other types of vehicles increased in 2020. Again, risky driving behaviors, like failing to wear seat belts and reckless driving, could be potential culprits behind these numbers.
Fatal vehicle crashes by body type (2016 to 2020)
Year | Passenger car | Light truck (pickup) | Light truck (utility) | Light truck (van) | Light truck (other) | Large truck | Motorcycle | Bus | Other/ unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 21,077 | 8,715 | 8,570 | 2,405 | 230 | 4,562 | 5,467 | 234 | 1,454 | 52,714 |
| 2017 | 21,273 | 8,707 | 8,963 | 2,218 | 127 | 4,805 | 5,381 | 234 | 1,420 | 53,128 |
| 2018 | 20,594 | 8,712 | 8,997 | 2,082 | 111 | 4,909 | 5,172 | 238 | 1,471 | 52,286 |
| 2019 | 19,804 | 8,630 | 9,144 | 2,045 | 126 | 5,033 | 5,146 | 235 | 1,460 | 51,623 |
| 2020 | 20,868 | 8,789 | 9,913 | 1,800 | 64 | 4,842 | 5,715 | 156 | 2,125 | 54,272 |
| Year-over-year change (2019-2020) | 5% | 2% | 8% | -12% | -49% | -4% | 11% | -34% | 46% | 5% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data
Speeding involved in 33% of deadly motorcycle accidents — highest among vehicle body types
When you consider the data over five years (2016 to 2020), speeding emerges as a leading cause of fatal motorcycle crashes. During this period, speeding was involved in 8,797 (33%) deadly motorcycle accidents.
Speeding is known to be dangerous, of course. However, this bad driving habit only factors into 18% of deadly crashes in all vehicle categories combined — almost half of the percentage of fatal motorcycle wrecks where speeding was involved.
A higher number of speeding-related fatal vehicle crashes (20,049) did take place in passenger cars between 2016 and 2020. Yet that figure only represents 19% of speeding-related fatal passenger car wrecks, compared with 33% of deadly motorcycle wrecks where speeding was a contributing factor.
The chart below provides more detail about how speeding contributed to fatal crashes by various vehicle types.
Fatal vehicle crashes and speeding (2016 to 2020)
Speed involved? | Passenger car | Light truck (pickup) | Light truck (utility) | Light truck (van) | Light truck (other) | Large truck | Motorcycle | Bus | Other/ unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 19% | 16% | 15% | 10% | 14% | 7% | 33% | 4% | 13% | 18% |
| No | 81% | 84% | 85% | 90% | 86% | 93% | 67% | 96% | 87% | 82% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data
Speeding is a dangerous habit that can put a driver, passengers and others on the road at risk for vehicle-related injury or even death. Statistics indicate that speeding may happen more often among motorcycle drivers than with other vehicle owners.
The NHTSA notes that motorcyclists are more likely than other vehicle drivers to have previous speeding convictions. In 2019, 24% of motorcycle drivers involved in fatal accidents had received a speeding conviction in the past. Meanwhile, less than 20% of drivers of passenger cars and trucks involved in fatal accidents had a speeding violation on their driving records.
It’s also important to point out that traffic violations can impact the quotes you receive for motorcycle insurance. Such issues could harm your budget if they keep you from qualifying for the cheapest motorcycle insurance available.
About half of fatal motorcycle crashes occur on weekends, amid far shorter time frame
Close to half of deadly motorcycle accidents (49%) occur on weekends — between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday. This time frame represents 60 hours of the week. The other 51% of fatal motorcycle crashes are spread out over the remaining 108 hours of the week.
However, crash timing patterns are different for all other types of vehicles. As the chart below shows, deadly crashes are much more common on weekdays with almost all other modes of transportation (aside from motorcycles and unknown vehicle types).
Fatal vehicle crashes and time of week (2016 to 2020)
Time frame | Passenger car | Light truck (pickup) | Light truck (utility) | Light truck (van) | Light truck (other) | Large truck | Motorcycle | Bus | Other/ unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 60% | 63% | 60% | 67% | 61% | 78% | 51% | 78% | 50% | 61% |
| Weekend | 40% | 37% | 39% | 33% | 39% | 22% | 49% | 22% | 49% | 39% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data; totals may not add to 100% due to rounding
For cross-country trips, some drivers may prefer to use a shipping service to move their motorcycle from one location to another. Motorcycle shipping services could help drivers avoid long trips where fatigue may set in and potentially lead to unsafe driving situations.
Deadly motorcycle accidents more common in summer months
From 2016 to 2020, around half of fatal motorcycle crashes happened during the summer. A combination of warmer weather and summer vacations could lead to more motorcycles being on the road during this time of the year. After all, Florida residents may use their motorcycles year-round, but New York riders might keep theirs idle through the winter (and part of the spring).
The warmer months of June to September saw 49% of deadly motorcycle accidents — 13% during July. The remaining 51% of these fatal crashes were spread out over the remaining eight months in the calendar.
With other vehicle types, the percentage of fatal accidents spreads out more evenly throughout the year. For example, the summer months (June through September) only saw 35% of deadly crashes involving passenger cars from 2016 to 2020.
Fatal vehicle crashes and time of year (2016 to 2020)
Month | Passenger car | Light truck (pickup) | Light truck (utility) | Light truck (van) | Light truck (other) | Large truck | Motorcycle | Bus | Other/ unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 3% | 9% | 6% | 7% |
| February | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 10% | 7% | 4% | 9% | 6% | 7% |
| March | 8% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 7% | 8% |
| April | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| May | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 9% |
| June | 8% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 12% | 6% | 9% | 9% |
| July | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 13% | 4% | 10% | 9% |
| August | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 7% | 9% | 12% | 7% | 9% | 9% |
| September | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 9% |
| October | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 12% | 9% | 9% |
| November | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| December | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 4% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data
If you live where the cold weather keeps you off your motorcycle during part of the year, you might be tempted to cancel your motorcycle insurance policy during the winter. Yet that decision could saddle you with costly cancellation fees. Instead, you might consider a more flexible laid-up motorcycle insurance policy that can save you money by pausing certain portions of your coverage (like liability and collision protection).
Another interesting fact is that bad weather isn’t a significant factor in fatal motorcycle crashes. Most deadly motorcycle accidents in these five years (79%) took place in clear conditions — the highest percentage among any vehicle type tracked. Of course, bad weather often keeps motorcyclists off the road and may contribute to this phenomenon.
Texas has most deadly motorcycle accidents per registered motorcycle
The amount of fatal motorcycle crashes differs by state. As a result, ValuePenguin researchers compared the number of registered motorcycles in each state to the total number of deadly motorcycle accidents per state from 2016 to 2020. The exercise resulted in a rank-ordered list of fatal motorcycle crashes in each U.S. state.
Texas came in at the top of the list with 6.2 deadly motorcycle crashes per 1,000 registered motorcycles. Louisiana (5.6) and the District of Columbia (5.6) were the next deadliest locations, in terms of fatal motorcycle crashes, during the same five years.
The chart below looks at the deadliest and safest states for motorcyclists throughout the U.S.
Fatal motorcycle crashes per 1,000 registered motorcycles
Rank | State | Registered motorcycles | Fatal accidents (2016 to 2020) | Fatal crashes per 1,000 motorcycles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 380,830 | 2,353 | 6.2 |
| 2 (tie) | Louisiana | 80,456 | 454 | 5.6 |
| 2 (tie) | District of Columbia | 5,020 | 28 | 5.6 |
| 4 (tie) | South Carolina | 148,851 | 759 | 5.1 |
| 4 (tie) | Arkansas | 72,474 | 366 | 5.1 |
| 6 | Missouri | 126,799 | 618 | 4.9 |
| 7 | Florida | 645,012 | 3,036 | 4.7 |
| 8 | Mississippi | 51,458 | 238 | 4.6 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 173,725 | 767 | 4.4 |
| 10 (tie) | New Mexico | 64,600 | 260 | 4.0 |
| 10 (tie) | Kentucky | 121,729 | 485 | 4.0 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 250,075 | 981 | 3.9 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and NHTSA FARS data
One cause of the varying fatal crash rates between states could be that motorcycle safety laws differ in these locations. And many people might expect laws about motorcycle helmet requirements to stand out here.
Research does show that wearing helmets can lower the risk of motorcycle fatalities by 22% to 42%. Yet despite such findings, only 18 states and the District of Columbia have universal helmet laws that make it a requirement for all motorcyclists to wear helmets. In other locations, helmets may not be mandatory, or there might be loopholes that allow certain motorcycle drivers to get out of wearing them.
However, motorcycle fatality statistics suggest that helmet laws might not have the impact that some would expect. Texas, for example, lets drivers older than 21 ride without a helmet if they can meet an eligible helmet exemption. Yet New Hampshire — one of the safest states where fatal motorcycle crashes are concerned — doesn’t have any helmet law requirements for motorcycle riders or passengers older than 18 years.
4 things to know about motorcycle insurance
Having adequate motorcycle insurance is essential if you own this type of vehicle. You should understand four important details before taking out a motorcycle insurance policy.
- Motorcycle insurance is a requirement in 49 out of 50 states. (Florida is the rare exception to the rule.)
- The average cost of motorcycle insurance in the U.S. is $721 a year. However, premiums can vary according to where you live.
- Full-coverage motorcycle insurance offers you the most financial protection (including comprehensive and collision coverage).
- You may be able to find more affordable coverage if you shop for motorcycle insurance online and take the time to compare premium costs.
Methodology
ValuePenguin analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data on fatal vehicle accidents by vehicle body type, focusing on motorcycles. Researchers combined fatal accident data from 2016 to 2020 in most instances.
For the state rankings, we compared the number of fatal motorcycle accidents — in 2021, from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) — to the number of registered motorcycles, using the 2016-to-2020 period.
