Target Completion Date: September 30, 2008 Safety, Operations, and Traffic Engineering
Over the past several years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and several states have noted increases in motorcycle-related deaths. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 3,661 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2003, an increase of 12 percent over 2002; another 67,000 were injured, an increase of 4 percent. Since 2002, the number of motorcycle fatalities has risen sharply in the United States as well as in other countries. This increase is because of, at least in part, the increase in older riders and passengers in the motorcyclist population. This research project will produce a more thorough knowledge of the characteristics of serious motorcycle crashes and the costs associated with them, which could help the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles design better motorcycle safety programs and a safer riding environment for all motorcyclists.
Last updated: July 5, 2023