When I started the Anatomy of an Accident thread about a month ago, I knew I did it for a reason. The statistic that just glared out the most is that we could reduce motorcycle deaths by one-third, if knuckleheads wouldn't ride impaired, this according to valid stats. I copied the thread from earlier, and stuck it here. You all are right...no need for this stuff, and yes, you wonder why we all pay such high insurance rates...
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I'd like to put this information out, so perhaps you can help prevent from becoming the next statistic, and will be able to continue enjoying the sport you love, and make it home safe....
The following is reported in the March 2000 issue of American Motorcyclist, a publication of the American Motorcyclist Association, in the Government Update section, and compiled by AMA's Bill Kresnak, Legal Affairs Editor:
Highway Deaths Up--Downward trend reversed--
Federal officials report that traffic deaths among motorcyclists rose by 8 percent in 1998, although they're still down significantly over the past decade.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2,284 motorcyclists were killed nationwide in 1998, compared with 2,116 in '97.
The 1998 figures, which are the latest available, mark the end of a four-year downward trend in traffic deaths. However, the latest figures are still well below 10 years ago, when motorcyclist fatalities stood at more than 3,660.
What causes motorcyclist fatalities? Two statistics stand out. The NHTSA reports that 32 percent of the motorcyclists killed nationwide in 1998 were drunk. And, of the 1,017 fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle, 36 percent involved a vehicle turning left into the path of the motorcycle. //(End of article).
