The Most Dangerous States For Motorcycle Accidents…
Thanks to data from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and a sterling article from the Motorcycle Accident Lawyer blog, we can now see which states have had the highest rates of motorcycle deaths and exactly how those numbers are up in some states and down in others. It’s a sad read, but if you happen to live and ride in the most dangerous states, you’ll be able to adjust your riding style appropriately and keep yourself as safe as possible. Out of all 50 states, the vast majority of them (31 states to be precise) saw an increase in motorcycling related deaths over the past three years, with Florida being ranked in first, behind California, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York State, Illinois, and Michigan respectively. It’s time to invest in the best safety gear you can afford.
There are a lot of factors that might have pushed the stats up in some states and down in others, including anything from weather conditions, the cost of fuel, and the sheer amount of vehicles on the road. Here, we’re going to take a look at the most dangerous states with regard to our Gear Heads: Motorcycles readership demographic…
Florida: up 22%
Florida ranked the highest in the study, having had a sharp increase in fatalities. Florida recorded 100 motorcycle deaths from the prior year. The volume of deaths is understandable, given that Florida is blessed with a temperate climate and that naturally encourages more motorcyclists to take to the streets. The increase, however, is unprecedented. However, we’ve seen in previous statistics that Florida has a huge motorcycling population, which is continually growing. Even so, if you were a Floridian rider, it would be wise decision to take all the necessary safety steps to keep yourself protected on the road. Having lived in Florida and travelled in most states in America and some in Canada, I can testify that most people in Florida do NOT dress appropriately for the ride and it is the most dangerous state to ride in.
California down 7%
Many do not want to live in and many are even leaving the Golden State with all the abnormal laws the lawmakers come up with and try to pass the last few years. But California has at least two great areas motorcycle riders benefit from in the Golden State: Riding all year round in most parts of the State and paying as low as half to one third of the motorcycle insurance rates than most states in America. The volume of deaths has dropped and it may well be due to people moving out of California and/or due to the Splitting-Lane law being official.
Texas up less than 1%
Texas ranked third in the study. The increase in Texan motorcycle deaths only had a small increase, but the small increase doesn’t mean that you should be any less cautious: the overall amount of bike deaths is still incredibly high on the national scale. Similar to Florida, Texas also has great riding weather and a large riding population, making the chances of a fatal accident statistically higher – keep that in mind next time you’re suiting up for a rip in the Lone Star state.
North Carolina up 1.5%
North Carolina was ranked fourth in the study, with a motorcycle death increase of 1.5%.
The increase in the amount of riders that were killed on the roads in one of the most popular states to ride, may seem like a small amount compared to the states listed above, it’s a fairly shocking statistic when you consider the size of the state, and the amount of registered motorcycle users.
Some of the others popular riding states statistics include:
South Carolina up 53%
Pennsylvania down 3.7%
Ohio up 15.7%
New York up 16.5%
Illinois up 23.7%
Michigan up 23%
While many states were listed ahead of Michigan, which only ranked in 10th place, it was this state that had the stats guys and safety advisors most worried. Keep in mind that increase of 23% is huge considering Michigan’s location and climate. It’s a smaller state than some of the others mentioned above, and it’s a heck of a lot more northerly. Given its climate, Michigan only has a short riding season compared with places like Florida, California or Texas – so the 23% rise in motorcycle deaths is a real worry.
There are many riders that will simply dismiss this as nothing more than arbitrary statistics and scaremongering, and that’s fine, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ride with a little more caution that usual, or with a little more vigilance. Apart from the obvious safety measures you can employ, like wearing the best safety gear that you can, consider checking your blind spots a little more regularly, ride a little more defensively than you used to, and don’t take any unnecessary risks.
Take care out there! And ride safe!
