CRASH FACTSHEET
Motorcyclists
November 2013
CRASH STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012
Prepared by the Ministry of Transport
In 2012, 50 motorcyclists 1 died and a further 1,138 were injured in road crashes. This was 16 percent
of all deaths and 9 percent of all reported injuries on our roads.
Motorcyclists at increased risk
Motorcyclists face a number of risk factors that do not affect car drivers. The main risk factors are
decreased stability and a much lower level of occupant protection than is provided by a car. In
addition, a motorcycle is less visible to other road users than a car or a truck. These factors together
give motorcycling a higher level of risk per kilometre travelled than other modes of transport.
Several studies have compared the risk of death and injury for a motorcyclist to that of a car driver.
• The New Zealand Household Travel Survey shows that, on average, the risk of being killed or
injured in road crashes is 22 times higher for motorcyclists than for car drivers over the same
distance travelled (2008–2012 data).
• In 98 percent of fatal crashes involving motorcyclists, the motorcyclist or a pillion passenger was
among those who died (2008–2012 data).
• A rider without a helmet is three times more likely to suffer severe brain damage than a rider with a
helmet in the same type of crash 2.
Motorcyclist casualties
Motorcyclists killed and injured
(1980–2012)
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
The number of motorcyclist casualties dropped markedly during the 1990s to a minimum between
2000 and 2004. Numbers have increased between 2004 to 2008, but have dropped again since then.
Motorcyclists now make up 9 percent of all road users injured, compared to 21 percent in the early
and mid-1980s.
1
Motorcycles as used here includes powercycles and mopeds. Additional definitions for fatal, serious and minor injuries
and social cost are in Terminology at the end of the fact sheet.
2
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2004).
As shown in the graph below, the drop in motorcyclist deaths and injuries during the 1990s was
particularly marked among the young, while the recent increase has occurred in the over 40s age
group.
Time series
Deaths and injuries of motorcycle riders and pillion passengers, 1980–2012
Deaths
Year
Riders
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
118
107
130
125
122
95
64
75
74
61
66
42
52
47
39
29
33
28
27
33
35
36
37
48
46
47
33
48
Pillion
passengers
14
20
14
21
19
19
14
13
6
11
12
6
4
7
3
2
1
2
1
2
3
3
4
3
2
3
0
2
Injuries
Total
132
127
144
146
141
114
78
88
80
72
78
48
56
54
42
31
34
30
28
35
38
39
41
51
48
50
33
50
% road
deaths
18%
17%
18%
20%
19%
16%
12%
14%
13%
12%
13%
9%
10%
11%
8%
7%
7%
7%
6%
8%
9%
10%
10%
14%
13%
13%
12%
16%
Riders
3413
3161
2945
2496
2153
1936
1841
1606
1402
1542
1379
1112
1039
862
714
646
612
702
716
686
862
969
1267
1338
1293
1214
1131
1087
Pillion
passengers
527
432
444
365
303
267
217
210
159
179
160
111
103
107
77
51
59
48
56
57
72
72
102
84
87
88
57
51
Total
3940
3593
3389
2861
2456
2203
2058
1816
1561
1721
1539
1223
1142
969
791
697
671
750
772
743
934
1041
1369
1422
1380
1302
1188
1138
Motorcyclist deaths and injuries by age group
2000
15–19 years
1800
20–24 years
1600
Deaths and injuries
25–29 years
1400
30–39 years
40 years and over
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Year
% road
injuries
21%
19%
18%
16%
15%
12%
12%
11%
10%
10%
9%
8%
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
5%
5%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
Motorcyclist deaths and injuries — selected age groups
15–19 years
Deaths
41
39
48
31
41
26
21
23
15
7
12
16
8
3
3
3
6
4
3
4
6
3
2
7
3
3
0
1
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Injuries
1786
1567
1447
1098
919
769
693
568
484
500
404
277
256
188
145
112
119
152
138
134
169
190
256
207
212
153
126
116
20–24 years
Deaths
48
51
47
52
38
43
22
29
29
16
21
11
12
14
4
4
4
4
1
5
3
5
5
6
3
9
4
4
25–29 years
30–39 years
40 years and
over
Injuries Deaths Injuries Deaths Injuries Deaths Injuries
1106
21
451
13
272
9
179
991
15
383
14
291
4
210
914
17
455
23
280
8
185
813
27
401
19
266
13
163
639
22
355
21
286
11
157
622
17
315
20
254
6
165
571
12
288
11
302
11
148
517
9
244
10
267
15
166
428
18
220
8
232
7
161
519
10
235
18
250
16
172
451
14
226
16
248
9
172
304
7
212
4
212
8
177
245
11
186
12
234
9
178
178
14
160
9
216
12
185
138
7
114
16
185
10
174
117
7
111
8
155
9
174
104
4
81
5
159
14
184
91
4
86
10
174
8
216
107
6
73
8
184
10
234
108
2
76
5
143
18
245
135
3
84
7
189
15
313
149
2
93
16
214
13
353
179
1
123
15
241
17
510
223
6
130
10
271
21
533
199
7
124
16
238
19
562
195
3
110
17
212
17
600
176
0
116
9
205
20
536
176
3
116
10
181
32
522
Note: columns do not necessarily add up to the totals, due to unknown ages for some riders.
Percentage of motorcyles with known
vehicle cc
Percentage of crash involved motorcycles by cc rating
(2004–2012)
25%
20%
0–59
15%
60–249
250–499
10%
500–749
750–999
5%
1000+
0%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year
Engine size, in cubic centimetres (cc), is currently not recorded on crash reports for 13 percent of
crash-involved motorcycles. The graph above is based only on those motorcycles with recorded
engine sizes.
Motorcycle size
The proportion of crashes that result in death is higher for large motorcycles than
for small motorcycles — riders of large (500cc or bigger) motorcycles make up 42
percent of all casualties but 69 percent of deaths. This is, at least partly, a result of
riding patterns. Small motorcycles and scooters tend to be used for ‘around-town’
riding, where speeds are low, whereas large bikes spend a much greater proportion
of time on the open road and travelling at higher speeds 3. For bikes 500cc or
bigger, over half (54 percent) of all reported injuries are on the open road. This
compares to only 17 percent for small bikes with an engine size under 250cc, and
about a third (36 percent) for bikes with engine sizes of 250–499cc.
Who was at fault?
Motorcyclist fault in crashes (2008–2012)
Single vehicle,
motorcyclist at
f ault, 33%
Single vehicle,
no motorcyclist
f ault identif ied,
2%
Multi vehicle,
no motorcyclist
f ault identif ied,
35%
Multi vehicle,
motorcyclist
primary
responsibility,
23%
Multi vehicle,
motorcyclist
some
responsibility,
8%
Percentage of motorcycle crashes in which a motorcyclist had
the primary responsibility for the crash (2008–2012)
Minor
Single vehicle
Multiple vehicle
Serious
Fatal
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Percentage of crashes where motorcyclist has the primary
responsibility for the crash
100%
A motorcyclist has the primary responsibility for 55 percent of fatal and injury crashes involving
motorcycles. For more serious crashes, the motorcyclist is more likely to have the primary
3
For riding patterns see the Ministry’s fact sheet here www.transport.govt.nz/research/Pages/LatestResults.aspx
responsibility 4 for the crash. The motorcycle rider has the primary responsibility for 67 percent of fatal
motorcycle crashes, but the comparable figure for minor injury crashes is 51 percent.
In about two-thirds (66 percent) of the crashes that involve a collision with another vehicle, it is the
other vehicle that has the primary responsibility for the crash.
Motorcyclist alcohol/drugs and speed involvement in
fatal crashes (2008–2012)
Alcohol/drugs,
14%
Alcohol/drugs
and Speed,
13%
Neither, 56%
Speed, 17%
Of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes, 27 percent are affected by alcohol/drugs; 30 percent are
travelling too fast for the conditions; and 44 percent are travelling too fast for the conditions and/or
are affected by alcohol/drugs.
Types of crash
Type of crash by speed limit area and crash severity (2008–2012)
Speed limit area
Movement type
Overtaking/lane change
Head on
Lost control/run off road
Rear end/obstruction
Intersection
Manoeuvring/miscellaneous
Pedestrian
Total
Rural
Fatal
Injury
8
192
44
160
69
1198
6
234
32
324
3
76
1
6
163
2190
Urban
Fatal
Injury
2
170
5
90
23
858
2
374
24
1913
8
448
1
91
65
3944
All motorcycle crashes
Fatal
Number
%
10
4%
49
21%
92
40%
8
4%
56
25%
11
5%
2
1%
228
100%
Injury
Number
%
362
6%
250
4%
2056
34%
608
10%
2237
36%
524
9%
97
2%
6134
100%
The rider losing control of the vehicle is a major feature in motorcycle crashes. As well as those
shown in the ’Lost control/run off road’ category in the table above, 30 percent of head-on crashes
result from a rider losing control of the motorcycle.
4
Primary responsibility (fault) for a crash is based on the crash movements and crash cause factors assigned in the Crash
Analysis System. It is not based on legal liability or court conviction.
Percentage of motorcycle crashes where the motorcyclist had the primary
responsibility for the crash (2008–2012)
Percentage of crashes of this type where motorcyclist had primary responsibility for
crash
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
80%
90%
100%
70%
Overtaking/lane change
Head on
Lost control/run of f road
Rear end/obstruction
Intersection
Manoeuvring/miscellaneous
Pedestrian
All motorcycle crashes
Specific crash movements that account for more than 8 percent of all reported motorcycle crashes:
12%
In this type of crash it is most common that the other vehicle turns across
the path of the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist has the primary responsibility
in only 6 percent of these crashes.
Lost control
turning right
14%
These are single-vehicle crashes in which the motorcycle rider loses
control on a right-hand bend. Loss of control on left-hand bends accounts
for a further 9 percent of crashes and loss of control on the straight also
accounts for a further 9 percent.
Crossing
vehicle turning
9%
In this type of crash it is most common for another vehicle to pull out and
turn across the path of the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist has the primary
responsibility in only 9 percent of these crashes.
Right turn
against
When do crashes happen?
Fatal and injury motorcycle crashes (2008–2012)
450
400
350
Crashes
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Day
Note: Crashes in 4 hour blocks beginning 00:00 Monday.
The peak times for motorcycle crashes are between 12 noon and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays,
and between 4pm and 8pm on weekdays.
Where do crashes happen?
Motorcycle crashes on urban roads (speed limit of 70km/h or less) and open roads
(2008–2012)
Type of road
Urban
Open road
Total
Fatal crashes
Injury crashes
Total crashes
65
163
228
3944
2190
6134
4009
2353
6362
(Note: Rows do not always add to the total as the speed limit is not always recorded)
Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of all motorcycle injury crashes occur on urban (speed limit of 70km/h
or less) roads, but nearly three quarters (71 percent) of fatal crashes are on the open road.
Most casualties are male
• 81 percent of all injured motorcyclists, and 94 percent of motorcyclist deaths, are
males.
Licence status of motorcyclists in crashes
Licence status of riders in crashes
(2008–2012)
Unknown /
other, 10%
Restricted, 8%
Learner, 18%
Never
licenced, 3%
Disqualified /
Forbidden, 3%
Overseas, 3%
Full, 56%
Terminology
Fatal injuries: injuries that result in death within 30 days of the crash.
Serious injuries: fractures, concussions, internal injuries, crushings, severe cuts and lacerations,
severe general shock necessitating medical treatment and any other injury involving removal to and
detention in hospital.
Minor injuries: injuries of a minor nature such as sprains and bruises.
Social cost: a measure of the total cost of road crashes to the nation. It includes: loss of life and life
quality; loss of productivity; and medical, legal, court, and property damage costs.
Additional Information
For further information on crash statistics see Motor Vehicle Crashes in New Zealand, the annual
statistical statement produced by the Ministry of Transport. This publication is available online at
www.transport.govt.nz.
Enquires relating to crash statistics may be directed to the Ministry of Transport, PO Box 3175,
Wellington, or by email at [email protected]. For more information about road safety, visit the
Ministry of Transport website at www.transport.govt.nz.
A selection of fact sheets are available via the research section of the Ministry of Transport website.
These include:
Travel survey:
Crash facts:
•
Comparing travel modes
• Alcohol and drugs
•
Driver travel
• Cyclists
•
Risk on the road
• Diverted attention
o Introduction and mode comparison
• Fatigue
o Drivers and their passengers
• Motorcyclists
o Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists
• Pedestrians
•
Walking
• Speed
•
Cycling
• Trucks
•
Motorcycling
• Young drivers
Reference:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws fact sheet.
April 2004. www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/New-fact-sheet03/MotorcycleHelmet.pdf
Disclaimer
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whether through negligence or otherwise, resulting from any person or organisation's use of, or reliance on, the information
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