The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provides the most up-to-date New York motorcycle accident statistics. Figures from 2012 show various trends including severity of injuries, types of crashes, the human factor and more. They also illustrate patterns with regard to gender and age.
2012 Motorcycle Accident Trends
There were 5,916 New York motorcycle crashes in 2012. Of those, 164 were fatal, and 5,052 resulted in personal injury. The majority were minor injuries (1,982), followed by moderate injuries (1,545) and serious injuries (1,180).
There were a total of 2,546 single-vehicle crashes, resulting in 62 fatalities and 2,280 personal injuries. A total of 3,125 two-vehicle crashes resulted in 87 fatalities and 2,584 personal injuries. And 227 three- or more vehicle crashes resulted in 15 fatalities and 188 personal injuries.
The DMV provides a special crash series that shows the number of motorcycle crashes involving pedestrians and bicycles using New York motorcycle accident statistics. There were 89 motorcycle/pedestrian accidents and 38 motorcycle/bicycle accidents.
Day of Week/Time of Day
The day of the week with the highest number of crashes was Saturday (1,055), which resulted in 28 fatalities and 905 personal injuries. The second-highest number of crashes occurred on Sunday (1,039), with 41 fatalities and 885 personal injuries.
The time of the day when most crashes happened, noted the New York motorcycle accident stats, was between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (1,494), followed by 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (1,154).
Human Factors
The number-one human factor cited in motorcycle accidents was a failure to yield right-of-way (955 crashes, with 34 fatalities and 864 personal injuries). This was followed by:
- unsafe speed – (861 crashes/78 fatalities/740 personal injuries);
- driver inattention/distraction (811 crashes/14 fatalities/722 personal injuries);
- following too closely – (524 crashes/8 fatalities/452 personal injuries); and
- driver inexperience – (427 crashes/16 fatalities/379 personal injuries).
Vehicular Factors
The top vehicular factor that contributed to motorcycle crashes was tire failure (37 crashes/2 fatalities/35 personal injuries). This was followed by defective brakes (29 crashes/1 fatality/25 personal injuries), steering failure (21 crashes/no fatalities/19 personal injuries) and defective accelerators (19 crashes/no fatalities/18 personal injuries), according to the New York motorcycle wreck statistics.
Environmental Factors
An animal’s action was the top environmental factor (391 crashes/2 fatalities/351 personal injuries). This was followed by slippery pavement (157 crashes/2 fatalities/144 personal injuries) and obstruction/debris (142 crashes/no fatalities/130 personal injuries).
2012 Motorcycle Accident Patterns
The total number of motorcycle drivers involved in a crash were overwhelmingly male (7,295 compared to 1,526 women). The age group in general with the highest number killed was 25- to 29-year-olds, followed by 21- to 24-year-olds.
Patterns by Sex
Those between the ages of 25 and 29 years old had the highest number of crashes (929) and the highest number of fatalities (30). But they had the second-highest number of personal injuries (651).
The age group with the second-highest number of accidents was 21 to 24 years old (909 total crashes). They had 19 fatalities and the highest number of personal injuries at 659.
According to the New York motorcycle crash statistics, the ages with the most crashes were between 45 and 49 (174). There was one fatality, but this age group also had the highest number of personal injuries (52).
The second-highest age group was 25 to 29 years old (171 total crashes). There were no fatalities and 46 personal injuries.
Helmet Use
Despite New York motorcycle helmet laws that require the use of helmets, 629 motorcyclists involved in a crash were not wearing one. There were 4,736 motorcyclists involved in accidents who did wear a helmet. Of those wearing a helmet, 136 were killed and of those not wearing one, 15 were killed.
Importance of Seeking Legal Advice after a Motorcycle Accident
Although New York motorcycle accident statistics can provide valuable information, when someone is injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, it’s more than just a number. Victims and their families can be left devastated. It’s important to consult an attorney to learn if someone else’s negligence is to blame and if that could lead to filing a claim. At Gacovino, Lake & Associates, we offer free consultations. Just fill out our contact form.
