Motostats 2010

[iehawk]

[*]Riders are getting older. Simply put, older is safer. At the extreme that may not be true, but middle-aged people take fewer risks than young people, and the median motorcycle owner age increased from the high 20s in the 1980s to the low 40s today.

I can see this being interpreted also as those riders who started riding young, getting older, surviving the game and gaining experience. Taking less risk as they get older, but also gaining knowledge/getting smarter. And the trickle effect is... this knowledge is usually shared, like here, in conversation, mentoring newer riders, among friends, and so on.

I think the growth in the industry contributes to motorcycles becoming more common out there. Being common leads to drivers getting more used to seeing us.

I've only been riding since 2004, commuting mostly. But in my crude daily observation, I can somehow tell that more and more people would share the lane and move over.

Thanks for the update, Dan. :thumbup

 

[RRrider]

this is great stuff! thanks Dan

 

[Cincinnatus]

In our safety committee there are more things coming that should help the roadways get safer.

Can I help? I have access to a moulage kit, and could bring it to some 1Rider events, depending on availability.

 

[liferider]

Bump for an awesome thread

Dan,
Thanks for sharpening all of that data up - both the presentation as well as it's interpretation are great. Really helps n00bs like me keep things in perspective.
Thanks alot!

 

[DataDan]

The danger posed by other drivers, by age group

Contrary to the popular perception among motorcyclists, the driver age group that is the greatest threat to motorcyclists is under 25:

Drivers under 25 comprise just 13% of the driving population but account for 22% of other drivers in fatal multiple-vehicle motorcycle crashes. Those under 20 are even worse: 5% of the population and 10% of those in crashes.

Drivers 60 and up, OTOH, are 22% of the population and only 17% of drivers in fatal multiple-vehicle motorcycle crashes. And drivers 70 and over are 10% of the population and 8% of those in motorcycle crashes.