Motorcycle Fatalities Decline

Motorcycle fatalities declined 0.5 percent in 2019, the third consecutive year that fewer riders died on America’s roads, according to preliminary statistics released in October by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The drop in motorcyclist deaths compares to a 2 percent decline in overall vehicle fatalities in 2019. There were 36,096 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2019, while 36,835 were reported in 2018.

The data indicate that an estimated 8,870 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the second quarter of 2020, a decrease of about 3.3 percent compared to the second quarter of 2019, which translates into 302 fewer fatalities as compared to the same period in 2019.

NHTSA officials noted, however, that the 2020 numbers reflect a significant reduction in driving during the coronavirus pandemic. The total traffic volume decreased by more than 16 percent in the first six months of 2020.