Motorcycle Fatalities Drop In Washington State

[Rob]

Although I don't live anywhere close to Washington and I'm not sure of the national/regional trends, I can only hope this holds up on a larger basis.
If nothing else, it's an interesting article:
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411107_motorcycle13.html

In particular, the following caught my eye:

Still, Stewart said the factors involved in most of these fatal wrecks continue to be speed, alcohol use and lane errors, typically riders losing control on curves. In March, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission's research and data center reported that between 1998 and 2007, 46 percent of the 591 motorcyclists killed were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time, speeding was a factor in almost 50 percent of the fatal wrecks and lane errors were to blame in 43 percent of the cases.

State Patrol Lt. Mike Turcott, who reviews every single accident report involving a motorcycle, said that out of 53 fatal accident reports he reviewed for 2009, just five listed an automobile driver at fault. In one instance, both the motorcyclist and a car driver were equally at fault.

"That is huge," Turcott said. "The pendulum is really swinging away from the other guy being at fault in these crashes."

This is one reason that for years state officials and traffic safety advocates have been promoting rider safety courses, which cost $125 for a course subsidized by the state. In recent years, interest in the classes has boomed, particularly when gas prices soared to almost $4 a gallon. But just as gas prices pushed people into riding, so now has the economy kept some from taking the courses. "The endorsements have continued to rise," Stewart said. "Although, rider education is off approximately 26 percent on the western side of the state and 41 percent in the eastern part of the state."


Rob

[GrittyTacoman]

Interesting report. I know I have to be super careful when riding because there's no room for error, being so exposed. But this study seems to repeat the stats they use at the MSF course and in the DMV books about alcohol and speed being the main issues in the majority of accidents.

Being someone who religiously reads the local paper every morning, I always note the blurbs about motorcycle/scooter accidents. Almost every time they're talking about alcohol or speed. We just had a scooter fatality in Tacoma, but it there wasn't another vehicle involved-- he missed a turn, was probably going too fast, and my co worker who knew him said that alcohol may have been involved too.

I wonder how many 2-wheeled fatalities we'd have if we took alcohol, speed, and/or crotch rockets out of the picture. Not that we stop being extra careful.

Good that more people are taking the msf classes though, and maybe with more riders, cagers aren't quite so surprised to see us.

[Dooglas]

I'm not sure much can be said about the number of fatalities in WA decreasing from the previous year. If you looked at ten years worth of data, you would see the numbers jog up and down from year to year. The high proportion of rider caused accidents is interesting. I can't help but wonder how that looks when fatalities are broken down into classes of PTWs. I would expect fewer fatalities proportionally among scooter riders, highway cruisers, sidecars, and the like as compared to sport bikes and dual purpose machines. Hopefully not too many Buddy riders are getting liquored up and blasting home on the twisties at 70 mph+.

[Rob]

I'm not sure much can be said about the number of fatalities in WA decreasing from the previous year. If you looked at ten years worth of data, you would see the numbers jog up and down from year to year. The high proportion of rider caused accidents is interesting. I can't help but wonder how that looks when fatalities are broken down into classes of PTWs. I would expect fewer fatalities proportionally among scooter riders, highway cruisers, sidecars, and the like as compared to sport bikes and dual purpose machines. Hopefully not too many Buddy riders are getting liquored up and blasting home on the twisties at 70 mph+.

I agree. The sample is too small and narrow to be able to conclude much. And yes, for all of the bitching that we do about cagers and the issues they cause for those of us on 2 wheels, it appears that most of our problems are self-induced.

Rob

[Portland_Rider]

Thanks for posting the report.

I only read the section online that you posted that focuses on rider fatalities and who is to blame. I'm curious to know what the rest of the stats read like for other injuries such as a rider simply losing control while riding responsibly or colliding with a cager: who is at fault and what was the context.

[Cheshire]

I had to pay $175 (and that was middle-ground) for my MSF. Still, anyone who approaches me about riding gets told to take it. I tell them to think of it like another piece of gear. Same cost range as a helmet or a jacket, and has a good chance of making your helmet or jacket last much, much longer!

Good post, Rob! I'm almost able to say I've broken all the bad habits I picked up in my ignorance pre-MSF: and it only took me a couple months to develop those. I won't make that claim until I've gone a month without a bad habit sneaking up on me, though.

[Rob]

Good post, Rob! I'm almost able to say I've broken all the bad habits I picked up in my ignorance pre-MSF: and it only took me a couple months to develop those. I won't make that claim until I've gone a month without a bad habit sneaking up on me, though.

I think you've hit on one of the keys. Even post-MSF, bad habit prevention and recognition is difficult. I've taken, and passed, the MSF twice. The first time 6 years ago then again last year. It was surprising to me just how many bad habits I'd (re)developed ... particularly because I hadn't ridden much for 3 of those years, although that might have been at the heart of it. I'm planning on taking the experienced riding course next year, so we'll just have to see how many bad habits surface then.

Rob