Georgia Motorcycles Statistics
Motorcycle Fatalities: Georgia 1994-2008
Motorcycle Fatalities Trends Georgia 1994-2008
In 2008, 12 percent (177 persons) of the people killed in motor vehicle crashes in Georgia were motorcycle drivers—the highest in motorcycle fatality count within fifteen years. This is a growing problem in Georgia, where in 2008 motorcycle driver fatalities has increased by 59% since 2004 with 111 motorcycle driver fatalities.
Total Motorcyclist Fatalities by County 2004-2008
Total Motorcyclist Fatalities by County 2004-2008 – Map
Total Motorcyclist Fatalities by County 2004-2008
29 percent of all motorcyclist fatalities from 2004-2008 occurred in Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, and Chatham counties. Fulton County has the highest motorcyclist crashes, with 13 motorcyclist fatalities in 2008 and over 60 total motorcyclist fatalities since 2004.
(Click on the graph for a larger image....)
The number of registered motorcycles increased 63.0 percent from 2004 to 2008. However, the crash rate for motorcycles decreased by 15.8 percent within the same time period. This means that change of motorcycle registrations is increasing more than the number of crashes that involve motorcyclists. Motorcycle injury crashes showed a similar decrease from 2004 to 2008. The motorcycle fatality rate (as shown in the figure above) varies between 6.25 fatalities per 10,000 registered motorcycles (minimum) in 2009* estimates to the high 10.83 fatalities per 10,000 registered motorcycles in 2006 (maximum).
Georgia Motorcyclists Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes by Year with Total Motorcycle Registrations and Rates
Rates per 10,000 registered motorcycles
Motorcyclist Fatalities, Injuries, Crashes, and Registrations Trends by County 2003-2008
Total Motorcyclist Fatality Rate by County, 2008
(per 1,000 Registered Motorcycles)
85 counties out of 159 total counties in Georgia experienced zero motorcyclist fatalities in 2008. Although Fulton, Cobb, and Chatham counties had the highest motorcyclist fatalities, each county has a rate less than 5.0 fatalities per 1,000 registered motorcycles. Counties with high motorcyclist fatality rates are colored red in the map above and detailed in the table below.
Georgia Motorcyclist Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes by Year with Total Motorcycle Registrations
Motorcyclist Fatalities, Injuries, Crashes, and Registrations Trends by County 2003-2008
Motorcyclist Fatalities & Helmet Use by County 2003-2008
Although the motorcyclist fatalities are on a rise over the past 15 years, the proportions of un-helmeted fatalities have an unsteadily decrease. In 2008, eight percent (14 fatalities) of all 177 motorcyclist fatalities in Georgia were un-helmeted in comparison to thirteen percent (21 fatalities of all 136 fatalities) that were un-helmeted in the previous year.
NHTSA estimates that elements saved 1,829 motorcyclists' lives in 2008 and that 823 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. In Georgia, 97 motorcyclists' lives were saved due to proper helmet use in 2008 and an additional 5 lives would have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.
2008 Motorcyclist Crashes by Age Group and Injury Severity (Georgia Traffic Records)
Motorcyclist Fatalities by Age Group, 1998-2008 (FARS)
Motorcyclists within ages 20 to 29 years are more involved in crashes than any other age group. In 2008, 40 motorcylists (22.5%) were represented in this age group were killed according to data from the Georgia Traffic Records. Data from the Georgia Traffic Records and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) by NHTSA may vary in the number of reported fatalities due to differences in closing and reporting times for data.