California has long been a center of motorcycling and is home to much of the motorcycle industry. In fact, the state has more motorcyclists than any other US state. There are more than 800,000 registered motorcycles in the state, followed by 550,000 in Florida and 445,000 in Texas. As a consequence, California is also a leader in motorcycle collision-related deaths each year.
In 2016, there were 5,286 motorcycle riders killed on public roadways in the United States, a 5.1 percent increase from 2015. Motorcyclists are at greater risk of injury during collisions—in 2016, motorcyclists were 28 times more likely than passenger car occupants to be fatally injured in a traffic collision, per vehicle miles traveled. In 2016 only 65.3 percent of U.S. motorcyclists wore helmets. In states with universal helmet laws requiring all riders to wear helmets, the known helmet use rate among fatally injured motorcyclists ranged from 66 percent to 100 percent in 2016, while in...
UC Berkeley SafeTREC is excited to announce our 2026 virtual two-part Peer Exchange series: “Advancing safety through the CSSA.” The series, part of the Complete Streets Safety Assessment (CSSA) program, will feature two former participant communities as they reflect on their experiences with the program – from their initial application to the real-world safety impacts of their comprehensive safety reports.
Collisions involving motorcycles are a major traffic safety concern in the United States. Motorcycle riders comprise a disproportionate share of all injured and killed vehicle occupants. In 2016, motorcycle riders were 28 times more likely than passenger car occupants to be fatally injured in a traffic collision, per vehicle miles traveled. The primary countermeasures used to address this problem have included motorcycle helmet laws and other helmet-oriented programs, rider training and licensing programs, vehicle enhancements, including anti-lock braking technology, rider conspicuity...
Crashes involving motorcycles are a major traffic safety concern in the United States. Since motorcycle riders are susceptible to injury during crashes, they comprise a disproportionate share of all injured and killed vehicle occupants. In 2017, motorcycle riders were 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to be fatally injured in a traffic crash, per vehicle miles traveled. The primary countermeasures used to address this problem have included motorcycle helmet laws and other helmet-oriented programs, rider training and licensing programs, vehicle enhancements including anti-...
Crashes involving motorcycles are a major traffic safety concern in the United States. Since motorcyclists are susceptible to injury during crashes, they comprise a disproportionate share of all injured and killed vehicle occupants. In 2020, motorcyclists comprised 14.4 percent of all traffic deaths in the US.
The primary countermeasures used to address this problem include motorcycle helmet laws and other helmet-oriented programs, rider training and licensing programs, vehicle enhancements, including anti-lock braking technology, rider conspicuity programs, campaigns to increase...
The 2025 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts series features the latest trends and data on various traffic safety topics, including pedestrian and bicyclist safety, drug and alcohol-impaired driving, and emergency medical services.
UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) is excited to announce the release of the 2025 series of Traffic Safety Fact Sheets, which feature traffic safety data and trends at the national and state level on twelve road...
May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and Bicycle Safety Month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urges drivers of all other vehicles and all road users to safely "share the road" with motorcyclists.
Motorcyclists can increase their safety by following these steps:
Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear. Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed. Use hand and turn signals at every lane change or turn...
