For motorcycle riders, America’s roads have never been more deadly. That’s not an exaggeration. There were 5,579 motorcycle fatalities in 2020 - the highest number ever recorded. The rise in fatalities also seems to be getting worse. Preliminary estimates indicate motorcycle deaths will pass 6,000 a year once 2021 totals are tabulated.

Key findings:

  • Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas have the highest rate of motorcycle fatalities
  • Motorcycle fatalities are up 11% since 2019 and 23% since 2010
  • Helmet usage declined from 71% to 68% nationwide
  • Alcohol was involved in 32% of fatalities

To find the most dangerous states for motorcycle riders, our analysts looked at motorcycle fatalities going back to 2001. We found that motorcycle fatalities are heavily influenced by three factors: alcohol, climate and helmet use.

The most dangerous states for motorcycle riders

Motorcycle fatalities in the u.s.

Climate plays an important role when looking at the most dangerous states for motorcycle riders. We found that warmer, southern states with weather conducive to riding have the highest rates of motorcycle fatalities. Mississippi is the most dangerous state for motorcycle riders. But Texas, Arkansas, Florida and Louisiana all have nearly four times the fatality rates of northern states like New Hampshire, Minnesota and Massachusetts.

Motorcycle fatalities in each state
State Motorcycle fatalities in 2020 % change in fatalities from 2019 Deaths per 10k motorcycles
Mississippi 62 55% 12
Texas 483 16% 12
Arkansas 80 21% 11
Florida 600 1% 10
Louisiana 78 -10% 9
South Carolina 137 -11% 9
Missouri 123 0% 9
Tennessee 151 -3% 9
Georgia 192 13% 9
North Carolina 192 -9% 8
Kentucky 92 0% 8
Wyoming 19 27% 8
Maryland 85 10% 8
Arizona 161 -8% 7
West Virginia 38 36% 7
New Mexico 46 -16% 7
Nevada 58 4% 7
Michigan 170 27% 7
Colorado 140 36% 7
Indiana 151 19% 7
Connecticut 58 26% 6
Kansas 65 59% 6
Nebraska 34 36% 6
Delaware 15 -17% 6
California 539 10% 6
Pennsylvania 219 24% 5
New York 200 47% 5
Ohio 211 30% 5
Oklahoma 63 -7% 5
South Dakota 27 93% 5
Oregon 68 19% 5
Virginia 101 -1% 5
Illinois 153 11% 5
Hawaii 18 -10% 5
New Jersey 78 -8% 5
Rhode Island 13 0% 5
Maine 29 7% 5
Utah 44 29% 5
North Dakota 17 55% 5
Alabama 78 -16% 5
Montana 29 26% 4
Vermont 10 25% 4
Idaho 27 8% 4
Iowa 64 45% 4
Washington 91 -4% 4
Wisconsin 116 36% 4
Massachusetts 52 13% 4
Minnesota 66 43% 3
New Hampshire 25 -17% 3
Alaska 4 -33% 2

Alcohol use and motorcycle fatalities

Motorcycle deaths involving alcohol

Alcohol was involved in 32% of motorcycle fatalities in 2020. In some cases, the person killed was below the legal limit, however, 26% of fatalities involved someone who was legally intoxicated, and in 15% of cases, the person killed had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level nearly twice the legal limit.

Our analysts found that alcohol use while riding was especially prevalent in certain states. Alcohol was involved in 50% of fatal crashes in four northern states. Wyoming, Rhode Island, Montana and Alaska had the highest numbers of fatal crashes where someone was legally or severely intoxicated.

Motorcycle deaths involving alcohol
State % of fatalities with BAC over 0.01 % of fatalities with BAC over 0.08 (legally impaired) % of fatalities with BAC over 0.15 (severely impaired)
U.S. Total 32% 26% 15%
Wyoming 58% 53% 37%
Rhode Island 54% 31% 23%
Montana 52% 38% 14%
Alaska 50% 50% 0%
North Dakota 41% 29% 24%
New Hampshire 40% 36% 20%
Ohio 40% 32% 21%
Connecticut 40% 34% 19%
New Jersey 38% 29% 18%
Iowa 38% 27% 16%
Washington 37% 27% 16%
Louisiana 37% 29% 15%
Idaho 37% 30% 15%
North Carolina 37% 29% 16%
New Mexico 37% 35% 22%
Oregon 37% 26% 16%
Illinois 36% 31% 19%
Texas 36% 29% 17%
Virginia 36% 24% 19%
South Carolina 35% 27% 17%
Missouri 34% 28% 18%
Maryland 34% 28% 19%
Minnesota 33% 26% 23%
South Dakota 33% 22% 15%
Indiana 33% 25% 16%
Pennsylvania 33% 27% 15%
Nevada 33% 29% 21%
Nebraska 32% 24% 15%
New York 32% 24% 14%
Wisconsin 32% 28% 14%
Colorado 31% 27% 18%
Maine 31% 28% 10%
Florida 31% 24% 14%
Alabama 31% 26% 17%
Kentucky 30% 24% 14%
Oklahoma 30% 27% 17%
Vermont 30% 30% 10%
Georgia 30% 22% 15%
California 29% 23% 14%
West Virginia 29% 18% 8%
Michigan 28% 24% 13%
Hawaii 28% 17% 11%
Arkansas 28% 21% 8%
Tennessee 27% 21% 12%
Massachusetts 25% 21% 8%
Arizona 25% 19% 12%
Utah 23% 20% 11%
Kansas 20% 17% 9%
Mississippi 19% 16% 10%
Delaware 7% 7% 7%

Motorcycle helmet laws

Motorcycle helmet incidents in the U.S.

Wearing helmets saves lives. Recent studies show that wearing a DOT-approved helmet reduces the risk of head injury by 69% and the risk of death by 42%. Despite these facts, many states don’t require helmets, and helmet use has declined by four percentage points nationwide.

What’s especially concerning is that helmet use is steadily declining in areas with the highest number of fatalities. We also found that riders are significantly less likely to wear a helmet when they have a passenger.

Motorcycle helmet use
Category Helmet use in 2020 Helmet use in 2021 percentage point change 2020-2021
Riders 69% 67% -2
Passengers 72% 52% -20
Solo 69% 70% 1
Rider + Passenger 65% 52% -13
Motorcycle helmet use by region
Category Helmet use in 2020 Helmet use in 2021 percentage point change 2020-2021
Northeast 77% 70% -7
Midwest 53% 45% -9
South 70% 71% 1
West 85% 88% 3
Urban 67% 65% –2
Rural 71% 65% -6

Motorcycle helmet laws vary from state to state. We found 18 states where all riders are required to wear a helmet, 29 that require them depending on age and three with no helmet laws at all.

Motorcycle helmet laws and deaths by state
State # of deaths were rider was wearing a helmet # of deaths were rider wasn’t wearing a helmet Helmet law
U.S. Total 3,260 2,143 N/A
Alabama 68 10 all riders
Alaska 2 2 17 and younger
Arizona 75 77 17 and younger
Arkansas 38 39 20 and younger
California 491 35 all riders
Colorado 63 74 17 and younger
Connecticut 27 25 17 and younger
Delaware 12 3 18 and younger
Florida 288 300 20 and younger
Georgia 167 18 all riders
Hawaii 5 13 17 and younger
Idaho 10 16 17 and younger
Illinois 49 102 no law
Indiana 28 115 17 and younger
Iowa 20 43 no law
Kansas 27 37 17 and younger
Kentucky 38 54 20 and younger
Louisiana 51 15 all riders
Maine 8 21 17 and younger
Maryland 71 14 all riders
Massachusetts 47 2 all riders
Michigan 77 77 20 and younger
Minnesota 23 42 17 and younger
Mississippi 41 15 all riders
Missouri* 99 24 25 and younger
Montana 11 18 17 and younger
Nebraska 28 6 all riders
Nevada 48 2 all riders
New Hampshire 7 16 no law
New Jersey 66 8 all riders
New Mexico 20 24 17 and younger
New York 167 27 all riders
North Carolina 172 18 all riders
North Dakota 3 14 17 and younger
Ohio 52 156 17 and younger
Oklahoma 19 39 17 and younger
Oregon 55 4 all riders
Pennsylvania 91 121 20 and younger
Rhode Island 6 6 20 and younger
South Carolina 45 92 20 and younger
South Dakota 5 20 17 and younger
Tennessee 135 15 all riders
Texas 234 233 20 and younger
Utah 19 25 20 and younger
Vermont 9 1 all riders
Virginia 94 7 all riders
Washington 87 3 all riders
West Virginia 17 20 all riders
Wisconsin 33 83 17 and younger
Wyoming 7 10 17 and younger
*Riders with an instruction permit must wear a helmet regardless of age.

Riding a motorcycle is inherently more dangerous than other popular forms of transportation. But that doesn’t mean we have to make it more dangerous. Alcohol is involved in an alarming number of fatal crashes, and helmet use is declining in places where it should be increasing. There’s an old story about why you’ll never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office that only motorcycle riders will understand. Riding is fun, freeing and relaxing. Let’s put on the helmet, put down the beer and ride safely.

Methodology

Motorcycle fatalities were calculated using NHTSA traffic safety statistics from 2010 to 2020. The fatality rate was calculated using 2020 fatality numbers per 10,000 registered motorcycles. The number of alcohol-related motorcycle fatalities was calculated using 2020 NHTSA data. Legally intoxicated is defined as having a BAC level of 0.08%. Severely impaired is defined as having a BAC level of .015% or more.

Additionally, the number of fatalities where the rider was not wearing a helmet was compared to the number of deaths without a helmet. This was paired with helmet laws per state from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

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