I remember reading an article a while back from the GHSA (Governers Highway Safety Association) that stated for the 2012 year, motorcyclists in the predominately southern states and west/east coast had less fatalities than the northern states or the ones with harsh weather. If I could find that article id love to post it, and it would be nice if someonce could post something for the 2014 year. I too am curious as to how riders say in CA/FL compare to ones in OK or WY, due to the year round riding vs riding season.

 

I remember reading an article a while back from the GHSA (Governers Highway Safety Association)...

We're thinking alike. I was typing my response and missed your post.

 

North Carolina has mild winters compared to where I use to live in Massachusetts. I ride year round, but there was a 2 week period in February that the bike stayed in the garage due to icy weather. In New England the bike would be winterized and parked from November through March or April.

It's hard to judge if the risks due to increased saddle time here in the South are mitigated by the reduced traffic density compared to the snarled traffic of the Boston area. I feel safer in the saddle here in the South and find it to be more motorcycle friendly.

Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) puts out some interesting statistics. http://www.ghsa.org/html/media/pressreleases/2013/20130424motorcycles.html

Facts that jump out to me are:

• Alcohol impairment: 29 percent of fatally injured riders had a blood alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit.
• Speeding: 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, and almost half of these crashes did not involve another vehicle.
• Motorcyclists not properly licensed: 22 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes did not have a valid motorcycle license.

Seems that a high percentage of these "accidents" are self inflicted by riders with poor self control. Bad weather may prolong their lives by temporarily keeping them off the road, but they're at high risk again as soon as the weather improves.

Here's a link to a pdf Motorcyclist Traffic Fatalities by State by the GHSA. http://www.ghsa.org/html/files/pubs/spotlights/motorcycles_2012.pdf
Maybe this quote is the answer to your question. "Record high temperatures in spring 2012 extended the riding season in cold-weather states
and likely are responsible for a large portion of the fatality increases of the first six months."

 

I suspect the fact that southern riders actually get more day to day or at least week to week riding that they are better tuned to car driver moves. While northern riders have to re-learn every year and probably never get that "edge" needed to survive.

I know since retiring and not ride each and every day as I did I don't feel I'm nearly as good as I was before I retired. That daily riding just plain helps. Why I'm doing more that keeps me from riding after I retired is beyond me. How the heck did I ever have to for a career?

 

Get a job Hog so you can ride more

 

The statistics probably wouldn't take into account the number of actual days that the typical rider COULD ride in his residential State. So many variables come into play:

In Southern, California, near San Diego, where I lived before I moved to SW Missouri in 1999, I could ride almost every day of the year, if I wanted to or needed to. CA is also a HUGE state, dwarfed only by TEXAS, with LOTS of people. Anywhere from Sacramento, CA north to the CA-Oregon line, the winter weather is MUCH colder and that may stop some from riding.

Our riding season here started maybe a couple of weeks ago and will offer great weather until around the middle of October so we have a fairly long riding season. The further North you go, the season is reduced.

So, more riders traveling more miles statistically would show more accidents than states where the miles are limited due to cold, wintry weather.

Sam:coffeescreen:

 

I will chime in with something I found very interesting.
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2014/02/...02/18/motorcycle-news/50-states-ranked-highest-motorcycle-ownership-per-capita/

North Dakota is #6 in motorcycle ownership per capita. California is # 43. South Dakota is #1 with 1 bike for every 12 licensed drivers.
Cold weather and short riding seasons don't keep us off the bikes.
As far as accidents go I would say we are better than many Southern states. Not because we are better riders and drivers, but because our roads are less crowded and generally less curvy. South Dakota may throw the numbers a bit. When 750,000 out of state bikers show up every year for Sturgis. Many of them decide to add to the accident numbers while they are visiting.

 

Thanks, those are very interesting statistics:biggrin:

I just wonder if off-road dirt bikes are included, like if 99% are dirt bikes in North and South Dakota and 1% streetbikes:wink:

Sam:coffeescreen:

 

Don' know for sure, but the stats are for licensed bikes. Most dirt bikes don't get plates, unless they are street driven occasionally. If they track ATV and UTV's as part of this though then the stats would be way off. It seems everyone has one or more of those up here.

 

I haven't been to North Dakota but have ridden to the Sturgis, SD rally from CA many times and love the area. All the times I rode my Electra Glide or my Goldwing in but if I lived there permanently, I'd have a big Adventure bikes so I could explore the vast amounts of non-paved roads.

In Southern Calif, I always had a street bike and a Adventure/ dual sport bike and I was on the local mountains fire roads all the time.

Most of Missouri's land is farmed and has fences everywhere.:frown:

Sam:coffeescreen:

 

Here in Vegas we have warm weather, inattentive drivers from other states visiting, and 24/7 alcohol availability. It really wouldn't surprise me if the stats say there are more spills here than other regions.

Spills...no pun intended.

 

I don't notice an increase in motorcycle accidents from here in NC and back in Ohio where I am from. Ohio doesn't have a helmet law so I think they have more fatal accidents but I think it is possible that people around here are more used to seeing bikes though it doesn't seem like it when you are out riding.

 

My thoughts on the statistics of warmer states is that motorcycles are considered more as basic transportation for a lot more riders whereas in the colder states they are more of a toy or recreational vehicle. The statistics should be more mileage based than just number of accidents per vehicle or include day of the week/time of day of accident. Here in Maryland I suspect more accidents occur on the weekends or after commute hours meaning the bike is being used as a relaxation toy rather than as basic transportation. Just an opinion.

 

You'd be surprised.

As a resident of a "warmer state" we have a lot of wussies here that think anything below 55 degrees is freezing. I suppose what with 110 being the summer average, half of that should be freezing?

While we have the standard winter solstice time span, we don't actually have winter weather. Sure, it gets close to freezing for a few weeks (around Christmas and New Years). Our annual rainfall is measured in inches that can be counted on one hand. The rarity of below freezing temps AND precipitation occurring at the same time are the kinds of odds that even the sports books won't touch.

So like traditional colder states, we don't see many bikes on the road here during the <cough> cold season </cough>. Mine are among the vast minority, and having seven I believe I make up the majority of that minority.