Motorcyclists and Pedestrians See Spike in Traffic Related Fatalities

Serious auto accidents and deaths don’t just concern people driving or riding in cars. Statistics have recently shown a dramatic increase in pedestrian and motorcycle deaths. Over last year these 2 groups have seen the greatest spike in comparison to other categories of traffic fatalities. Specifically, the 2016 numbers recently released show pedestrian deaths have hit their highest levels since 1990, resulting in 5,987 deaths, and a 9 % increase from 2015. Additionally, motorcyclists were up 5.1% from 2015, reaching their highest level since 2008, at 5,286 deaths.

It seems to run contrary to conventional wisdom that pedestrian deaths would be greater than motorcycle fatalities given the public perception of motorcycles carrying considerable safety risks. Nonetheless, the statistics bear out more pedestrian deaths than motorcyclist deaths in 2016.

The ultimate lesson from these statistics are that whether walking your dog or going for a Sunday “ride” you must always be cognizant of surrounding traffic because in this day and age you are almost never beyond the reaches of the dangers of automobiles.

Neustrom & Associates supports the Salina Toy Run, a charity funded by over 400 bikers. We assist bikers in recovering insurance proceeds from at fault drivers.