• In 2005, motorcycle rider fatalities increased for the 8th straight year.  4,553 motorcyclists lost their lives in fatal highway crashes.
• Non-interstate roadways... In 2005, 91 percent of the motorcycle operator fatalities in two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle occurred on non-interstate roadways.
• Intersections... In 2005, 50 percent of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died were intersection crashes.
• Weekends... Twice as many motorcycle fatalities occurred on weekends as opposed to weekdays.

• Study on the Risks to Unhelmeted Motorcyclists (PDF)

Safety Tips

#1.  Allow a motorcyclist the full lane width. Although it may seem as though there is enough room in a traffic lane for both an automobile and a motorcycle, the motorcycle needs the full room to maneuver safely. Do not share the lane.

#2.  Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic. This allows the mo-to cyclist to anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position.

#3. Remember that motorcyclists are often hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot or missed in a quick look due to their smaller size. Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections.

#4. Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a motorcycle – motorcycle signals usually are not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.

#5.  Remember that road conditions which are minor annoyances to passenger vehicles pose major hazards to motor-cyclists. Be aware that motorcyclists may need to change speed or adjust their position within a lane suddenly in reaction to road and traffic conditions such as potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings, and grooved pavement.

#6.  Allow more following distance, three or four seconds, when following a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. And don’t tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
 

“Share the Road” -- Motorcyclists Are at Risk from Other Drivers.

• Motorcycles have a much smaller profile than other vehicles. This can make it difficult to judge the speed and distance of an approaching motorcycle.

• After a crash, the drivers of other vehicles involved often say they never saw the motorcyclist and were unable to respond in time.

• NHTSA estimates that 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20 percent of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in the vehicle.

• In fact, per vehicle mile traveled, NHTSA estimates that in 2005, motorcyclists were about 37 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a traffic crash.