Florida has earned the reputation as one of the most dangerous states for motorcyclists. Hence, we've come up with a basic overview of motorcycle accident statistics in the state of Florida in an attempt to discover the reason for its high motorcycle crash and death rates. Whether or not you are a motorcycle rider, motorcyclist safety should be a concern for all citizens.
To continue to protect our motorcycle riders, motorcycle accident lawyers in Florida continually fight to give them fair and just compensation following a motorcycle crash. Because of a motorcycle's design and small size, motorcyclists usually come out of a motor vehicle accident injured, or worse.
Based on the 2019 data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, here are some general statistics about motorcycle crashes:
The National Highway Safety Administration has already released overall statistics for 2020, although more in-depth data is not yet available on their website. According to their 2020 summary, there were 8,209 total motorcycle accidents, 516 fatalities, and 6,945 injuries.
Why is it that Florida is considered a dangerous state for motorcyclists? Let's look at the data for the entire United States, and compare it to local statistics:
With these numbers and percentages, we can tell that Florida accounts for a lot of motorcycle deaths and accidents in the country.
What are the leading causes of motorcycle accidents and fatalities in Florida? By combing through crash reports, we've found the following information:
The National Highway Safety Administration has always advocated for the use of helmets for motorcyclists, because of the number of lives saved by safety gear. Here are some general statistics surround helmet use in the state of Florida:
In summary, over 50% of motorcyclist deaths in 2019 involved motorcyclists without safety helmets. Why is this number so large? One reason might be because Florida is one of the few states that do not require their motorcyclists to wear helmets while on the road.
On July 1, 2000, the state of Florida repealed the Universal Helmet Law which mandated all motorcycle drivers to wear helmets. Presently, only motorcycle riders below 21 and those with medical benefits coverage amounting to less than $10,000 are obligated to wear helmets.
Helmet use in the entire state of Florida dropped after the motorcycle helmet law was repealed, and a stark increase in motorcycle fatalities was noted in the years that followed. The percent of motorcyclists showing up at the Emergency Department requiring treatment for head and brain injury also increased.
As a responsible motorcyclist, it is up to you to ensure your safety and the safety of your passengers even if it is not mandated by the law. The easiest way to cut down on serious motorcycle serious injuries and deaths is to wear a DOT-compliant helmet. The easiest way to tell if a helmet has passed the standards of the U.S. Department of Transportation is the sticker on the back of the helmet and the inside. However, it's easy to counterfeit these stickers, so manually check your helmet for the following:
A driver is considered alcohol-impaired if their Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels are at 0.08 grams per deciliter and above, while a driver is considered severely alcohol-impaired if their blood alcohol content levels are greater than 0.15 grams per deciliter.
Since Florida's insurance laws only apply to vehicles with 4 wheels and above, technically you don't have to get a health insurance policy. However, you will be required by law to wear a helmet every time you're on the road. Motorcyclists with at least $10,000 insurance coverage are allowed to drive without a helmet. As a precaution, it is recommended that you have at least $10,000 coverage for Bodily Injury Liability and $10,000 for Property Damage Liability.
This does not mean that super-sport motorcycles get into the most accidents; it can also mean that most super-sport motorcycle owners carry insurance policies. Based on collision damage claims, it seems that autocycles, when they get into motorcycles crashes, suffer a lot of damages, while scooters suffer the least amount of damage, or don't get into motorcycle traffic crashes often.
Although there is a steady decline in motorcycle crashes and deaths, there are still too many lives lost in what could have been preventable motorcycle crashes. If you are a motorcyclist, remember to protect yourself and keep your eyes peeled - motorcycles, because of their design, are completely vulnerable, and usually suffer more losses compared to automobiles.
Based on these statistics, there are a lot of ways by which we can make motorcycle riding safer:
Here at VG Law, we've seen our fair share of motorcycle accidents, and we see a lot of riders who feel helpless after an accident because they don't have insurance and they don't know how to protect themselves when the other party decides to file a lawsuit against them.
Don't become another statistic - protect yourself, not just when it comes to avoiding an accident, but also when you find yourself at odds with the law. Even if you have never been in an accident before, it's always helpful to seek the advice of a reputable motorcycle accident attorney to arm yourself with enough knowledge to fight for your rights if one day you find yourself the victim of a motorcycle accident.
Meta Description: Motorcycle Accident Statistics in Florida give us insight into what's lacking and what we can do to make Florida roadways safe for motorcyclists once more.
