No Paycheck. No Motorcycle. No Accident. Coincidence?

April 28th, 2010. By AbiK

Apparently not if you go by the latest report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) on motorcycle accident deaths. The report indicates that motorcycle fatalities for 2009 were down by at least ten percent vs. 2008. And that follows eleven straight years of increases in motorcycle accident deaths.

While, according to the GHSA, the findings are based on preliminary data for full-year 2009, most states reporting motorcycle fatalities for the year have at least nine months of fatality counts submitted to the agency. The GHSA states it is confident, therefore, in being able to make its full-year projection.

What’s interesting is that the GHSA asked its members to suggest reasons for the decline. According to the GHSA release, there were a range of possible reasons submitted: less motorcycle travel due to the economy; increased state attention to motorcycle safety programs; and poor cycling weather conditions in some areas.

GHSA Chairman Vernon Betkey states, “Clearly the economy played a large role in motorcycle deaths declining in 2009. Less disposable income translates to fewer leisure riders, and we suspect that the trend of inexperienced baby boomers buying bikes may have subsided.” (Can’t help having an image of clean-cut Jay Leno in jeans and leather jacket when I hear that last part—though Leno is, indeed, experienced).

To be fair, Betkey also notes that because there had previously been sharp increases in motorcycle accident deaths during the 1997-2008 period, many states ramped up their efforts to improve motorcycle highway safety. Additionally, Betkey cautions that the data only represents one year of data and to really consider this decrease in fatalities a positive trend, there really should be at least three to five years of data.

Still, if there has to be something positive related in part to the economic downturn, we’ll take fewer motorcycle accident deaths.

Tags: GHSA, Motorcycle Accidents, Motorcycles

This was posted on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 at 1:02 pm and is filed under Accidents, Emerging Issues . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.