What Are Your Thoughts On Drinking & Riding? 2015 Statistics
Every year at Eagle Leather we hear about another rider that was lost on the road, and recently we mentioned the special dangers to motorcycle enthusiasts from vehicles turning left into their lane. That information came from the NHTSA report for 2015. That report has a lot to say about drinking and riding motorcycles.
Of the 4,684 motorcycle riders killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2015, 1,285 were alcohol impaired. That is, they had a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 g/dL or higher. An additional 337 riders (either killed or survived) involved in fatal crashes had lower BACs (0.01 to 0.07 g/dL). Of alcohol-impaired operators involved in fatal crashes, the highest percent were motorcyclists (27%). And these motorcylists are not kids, either. Most of the alcohol impaired motorcyclists were between 35 and 39 (38%), then 45 to 49 (36%) and finally 40 to 44 (34%).
The percentage of deceased riders who were alcohol impaired went up a bit from 2006 to 2015.
Finally, almost two-thirds of the fatalities (63%) on single-vehicle crashes on weekend nights were alcohol-impaired.
Yet, there’s no denying it: Unless you plan to ride exclusively around the Southern United States, you’ll face some chilly winters. And even before it...
