Motorcycle accidents have been on the rise over the last 10 years according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which reports a 150% increase in motorcyclist fatalities. Since 1997, motorcycle rider's traffic fatality rate has risen steadily as other motor vehicle fatalities have decreased. Accounting for 14% of all types of fatal traffic incidents, motorcyclists are by far the motorist group with the highest risk of death. In 2008, DOT's Fatality Analysis Reporting System registered more than 5,000 motorcycle deaths and almost 100,000 motorcycle-related injuries.

36.4% of all motorcycle deaths are partially or fully caused by front-end impact with other motor vehicles. Collisions of all sorts that occur between motor vehicles and motorcyclists account for nearly 50% of all motorcycle deaths each year, and a much higher percent of motorcycle injuries. The leading danger to motorcyclists appears to be other motor vehicles.

The 1999 to 2000 Association of European Motorcycle Manufacturers study and other studies conducted in America and Thailand have shown that among the various factors that contribute to motorcycle deaths (including other motorist's failure to visually identify motorcycles and motorcyclists lack of helmets and other safety features) non-motorcycle driver error causes 50% of these fatal collisions while motorcyclists rider error causes only 37%.

According to the American and European studies these errors occurs more commonly in locations familiar to the drivers or areas that require less attention, such as straight roadways and small local roads as compared to major freeways and highways or complex and unpredictably curvy thoroughfares. Apparently, motorists are more likely to be lax in their driving habits when unchallenged by unfamiliar areas or difficult driving conditions.

The Thailand study had different findings from the American and European ones, citing rider error as the primary cause of motorcyclist fatalities. In nearly 40% of fatal motorcycle crashes in the Thai study, alcohol abuse was present and the most predominant kind of collision in Thailand was the rear-ending of other cars by motorcycles. Cultural differences, different proportions of motorcyclists to other types of auto vehicles and the fact that only one motorcyclist studied had received motorcycle training can explain in some part the differences between the studies.

Current studies in America, like the Oklahoma Transportation Center's new research which follows previous studies and builds on their knowledge while attempting to determine the primary causes for the rise in motorcycle accidents in order to then identify what interventions and actions can be taken to reduce the growing number of accidents involving motorcycles.

As the studies of the causes and cures of the rise in motorcycle fatalities continue those individuals involved in motorcycle accidents can take action of their own by contacting a accident lawyer familiar with the complexities of personal injury and motorcycle accident litigation for information and assistance.