Are older motorcyclists a problem?

Publication: Sea&Shore

Bookmark this article Print this article Link to this article Email this article Digg It! Add to del.icio.us RSS

COPYRIGHT 2006 U.S. Navy Safety Center

Take a look at the statistics, and then decide for yourself.

Nationally, more than 3,900 motorcyclists died in 2004, up 7.3 percent from the year before, according to numbers released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That's the seventh straight year of increases in motorcycle deaths on U.S. roadways--an 85 percent overall rise since 1997. Most (60 percent) of the increases involved riders over the age of 40, said the NHTSA.

While not as dramatic as these national figures, Navy numbers also are climbing upward. In FY05, motorcycle fatalities totaled 21, compared to 25 in FY04, both of which far exceed the FY01-03 average of 16.3. The average age of Sailors killed in motorcycle crashes simultaneously rose from 25 in FY90 to 29 in FY03. And, although motorcycle deaths made up just 24 percent of all Navy motor-vehicle fatalities during one recent five-year period, they comprised 34 percent in FY04 and 39.6 percent in FY05.

Why have motorcycle deaths been going up disproportionately among older riders? Part of the reason is the changing demographics of bike buyers and riders. Surveys show...

Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.