There are many reasons why a person may decide to use a motorcycle to get around: the lower operating costs it has in comparison to cars, the lower fuel costs associated with such vehicles, the sense of freedom such vehicles can give their riders, etc. Whatever the motivation, many people in Pennsylvania take to the roads in motorcycles, particularly in the summer months.
One of the worst nightmares of motorcyclists are traffic accidents. Motorcyclists are in a very exposed position out on their bikes and thus can be particularly vulnerable to suffering serious or fatal injuries when an accident occurs. Consequently, some recent statistics are very encouraging for Pennsylvania motorcyclists.
These statistics show that Pennsylvania experienced a drop in motorcycle accidents last year. There were around 500 fewer motorcycle accidents in Pennsylvania in 2013 than there were in the previous year. This amounts to about a 13 percent decrease. Motorcycle fatalities were also down in Pennsylvania, falling around 14 percent between 2012 and 2013.
What is causing these encouraging decreases? Statistics regarding motorcycle licensing and motorcycle registration from 2013 indicate that there might be an increased focus among motorcyclists on getting properly trained prior to taking to the roads. This could potentially be a factor in the accident and fatality decreases.
Of course, no matter how well a motorcyclist is trained and how safe they are acting when out on the roads, they can have accidents occur to them if other motor vehicle drivers fail to be attentive when behind the wheel. Motorcycles can be more challenging to see than other vehicles, and thus distracted driving by motor vehicle drivers can end up spelling real trouble for motorcyclists. Raising awareness of the importance of keeping an eye out for motorcycles when driving has been a focus in Pennsylvania in recent times, as can be seen in the many "Watch for Motorcycles" signs out on the roads. One wonders if such awareness efforts contributed to the drops in motorcycle accidents and fatalities.
What do you think is causing the decreases?
Whatever the cause, one hopes that the decreases in motorcycle accidents and fatalities continue and that Pennsylvania progressively becomes an even safer place for motorcyclists.