Motorcycle ownership has risen over the last decade. Thanks to the effective marketing campaigns of the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers, such as Harley Davidson, Honda, and Yamaha. In the US alone, the motorcycle industry is worth $21 billion.
However, together with this rise in motorcycle sales also comes the rise of motorcycle accidents. This direct correlation has been attributed to many factors. And getting legal representation, for example, hiring a powerhouse Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer to assist in the legal claims proves much too costly.
World statistics
World statistics show how the consistent increase of motorcycle sales in the world has contributed directly and indirectly to the increase of road accident incidents.
Motorcycle sales
In 2018, worldwide motorcycle sales reached over 122 million units. The Asia Pacific is the biggest customer with an astounding 108 million units sold. Breakdown of the worldwide estimated sales projection for 2018 by region are as follows:
- Asia Pacific – 108 million
- Africa and the Middle East – 10 million
- Central and South America – 8 million
- Western Europe – 3 million
- North America – 1 million
- Eastern Europe – 400 thousand
Motorcycle ownership ranges between the ages of 32 and 41 years old. On top of that, in the Asia Pacific alone, the increase of ownership is due to the demand for motorcycles being the primary mode of transportation in a lot of countries. Most motorcycle manufacturers also sell aggressively in this part of the world.
Unfortunately, motorcycle safety in these low-income Asia Pacific countries is not entirely a priority. Safety tips, such as wearing a helmet, defensive driving, and not driving under the influence, are not properly reinforced. Dedicated motorcycle lanes are either not practiced or they don’t exist.
Motorcycle accidents
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the risk of dying in motorcycle-related incidents is 3 times higher in these countries compared to more developed countries. A motorcycle accident happens in every 23 seconds anywhere in the world. About 1.3 million people die and around 20 million get injured every year due to road related incidents.
The major risk factor of these motorcycle accidents are as follows:
Age: With most of the motorcycle owner population is in their late 30s and above, age has been identified as a major risk factor in motorcycle-related road accidents. The frequency of these incidents has significantly increased as well. This age group comprises 54% of the fatal motorcycle accidents on the road.
Alcohol: Motorcycle accidents due to alcohol impairment or driving under the influence accounts for 30% of the cases. Blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of the drivers involved in these serious accidents is more than 0.08%. WHO’s recommended BAC limit is only at less than or equal to 0.05 g/dl. Moreover, only 45 countries in the world meet the best practice in terms of drunk-driving laws.
Behavior: Reckless driving also contributes to the highest number of reasons for motorcycle-related road accidents. 80% of reckless motorcycle driving results in death. A motorcyclist’s behavior on the road is critical to road safety. These reckless driving behaviors almost always result in accidents:
- Not following road and traffic rules
- Not wearing a helmet
- Using mobile phones while driving
- Being distracted by other things
- Driving drunk or under the influence of drugs
- Overspeeding
- Road rage
- Driving overly modified motorcycles
- Driving without a valid license
Speed: The average speed continues to increase in every city, state, or country. As a result, motorcycle drivers are at a higher risk of having a road crash. WHO has estimated that a 1% increase in speed potentially results to a 4% increase in risk. For example, driving at 65 km/h speed has 4% risk of potentially having a fatal crash compared to driving at 50 km/h.
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Enforcing road safety
While the statistics can obviously show the direct correlation of motorcycle ownership to accidents and frequency of the incidents, it’s always best to enforce road safety at all times. Best practices for motorcycle safety such as the following should always be overly communicated:
- Wear a helmet
- Don’t drink and drive
- Don’t take and/or use drugs before driving
- Don’t use a mobile phone when driving
- Follow road traffic rules
- Maintain speed limit
WHO has also called for extensive training courses for motorcycle owners. As well as for countries to enact and strictly enforce laws around helmet use and equipping Antilock Braking System (ABS) for all motorcycles.
Conclusion
The rise of motorcycle ownership shouldn’t dictate or influence the increase in motorcycle accident frequency. Motorcycle owners should also be responsible drivers all the time. You should always follow motorcycle safety best practices as well as adhere to road and traffic rules. These are the best ways to avoid being part of the statistics.
