Weather May Be Reason For Drop In Motorcyclist Deaths

Chicago Tribune (IL)

May 02--Weather may be a primary reason why motorcyclist deaths were down nationally in 2017, but up in Illinois, according to a highway safety group.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit representing state highway safety offices, said in a report Wednesday that the 5.6 percent drop in motorcycle deaths nationally may be tied to last year's strong hurricane season, which kept riders off the roads in the southern states of Florida and Texas.

Illinois, on the other hand, saw a milder than normal February, April, September and October in 2017, according to the National Weather Service. Motorcycle deaths have risen in Illinois in each of the last three years, from 119 in 2014 -- the year the state suffered the unusually long and cold "polar vortex" winter -- to 146 in 2015, 154 in 2016, and 162 in 2017, according to the state's Transportation Department.

"When we see a longer riding season because of a milder winter, we see increases," said Tara Casanova Powell, an independent researcher who prepared the state highway safety group's report, which used preliminary state-reported data from 2017. "When we see harsh conditions, like the hurricanes Texas and Florida sustained, we can see some decreases too. Weather is a big contributing factor."

Powell said the economy is another big factor in motorcycle crash numbers -- good economic conditions and low gas prices mean more people ride.

While the safety association is "cautiously optimistic" about the projected 2017 decrease, Powell said that more work needs to be done on promoting motorcycle safety to sustain a downward trend.

"We can't -- and shouldn't -- rely on bad weather to prevent motorcyclist deaths," she said.

Compared with 2016, 18 states saw increases in motorcycle fatalities in 2017. Illinois deaths rose 5.2 percent and fatalities in neighboring Indiana surged 44 percent, while 30 states saw decreases, the report found.

Indiana had 100 deaths in 2016, the lowest number in recent memory, which helps explain the size of the increase, said William Wingfield, communications director for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Nationally, motorcyclist deaths have been increasing in the last two decades as a percentage of all motor vehicle fatalities, from about 5.7 percent in 1994 to 14.1 percent in 2016, the report said.

Motorcyclist fatalities occur 28 times more often than passenger vehicle occupant fatalities per mile traveled, the report said. Operating a motorcycle tends to be more hazardous than operating a car because motorcycles lack enclosure and are smaller than other vehicles, making them less visible, the report said.

A variety of factors contribute to crashes, including drinking. A quarter of motorcyclists involved in fatal wrecks in 2016 had a blood alcohol content over the legal limit -- the highest percentage of any vehicle type, the report found.

Drug impairment also may be an increasing factor, the report said. A 2017 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that vehicle collision claims in states with legalized recreational marijuana were 3 percent higher than would have been expected without legalization.

Several states also reported an increase in distracted riding fatalities, the report said. Distraction from electronic devices, particularly phones, has been cited by safety organizations as a cause for increased traffic deaths overall.

The National Safety Council, an Itasca-based safety advocacy group, said about 8 percent of motorcycle fatalities in 2016 were related to a distracted operator, though only about 17 percent of those cases were the fault of the motorcyclist as opposed to another driver.

"We need to put the gadgets down and pay attention to driving and we need to show more respect to people on the roads," said J. Ryan Hubbard, state coordinator for the motorcycle rights group ABATE. ABATE stands for A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education.

Warmer weather means more motorcyclists will be on the roads, and drivers need to watch out for them. Wingfield said car and truck drivers should look twice before turning or changing lanes and increase their following distance.

Riders over the age of 40 now represent the greatest share of motorcyclist fatalities nationwide, a shift from prior years when more young riders died, the state highway safety report said.

Transportation and safety experts have pointed to a few possible reasons why more older motorcyclists are dying. One factor could be that baby boomers make up a greater part of the population. Another reason could be that some people who stopped riding when they were in their 20s to start families started riding again in their 50s and 60s, not realizing that their skills had eroded, safety experts say.

"Some of these older riders, they have the money now and they have more time," said Powell. She noted that some older riders may be getting powerful bikes inappropriate for their skill level.

"As we age, we have different health issues," said Hubbard. "Know your body and if you're not ready to get on the bike, don't get on the bike."

Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire are the only three states that have no helmet law for motorcyclists. The state highway safety report said that helmets reduce severe traumatic brain injury in motorcycle crashes.

ABATE opposes a helmet law, favoring instead riders' "freedom to choose," Hubbard said.

"It's an adult decision -- it's our right to choose whether we want to wear that or not," said Hubbard.

ABATE does favor more motorcyclist training, such as the classes provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation. ABATE also tells members never to ride drunk or drugged.

"If you're at a gathering and someone's had one too many -- talk to them," said Hubbard. "Tell them 'We'll get you and your bike home'."

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