SUN EDITORIAL:

Motorcycle deaths rising

Military now requires all members to take safety course if they buy a bike

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 | 2:04 a.m.

Even though federal statistics show that motor vehicle deaths, overall, are at their lowest rate since 1961, the number of motorcyclists being killed just keeps going up.

Traffic statistics for 2008 were recently released by the National Transportation Safety Board. Overall fatalities dropped from 42,259 in 2007 to 37,261 in 2008.

But motorcycle deaths went up for the 11th consecutive year. Accidents in 1997 killed 2,116 motorcyclists, a number that rose to a record 5,290 last year. Unsafe riding is likely the biggest cause of the persistently tragic motorcycle statistics. At least that is the conclusion of the military services, which have lost 196 members to motorcycle accidents over the past two years.

Military safety officials say nearly all of those fatal accidents occurred while service members — many having just returned from Iraq or Afghanistan — were riding popular “racing style” sport bikes, according to an Associated Press story.

After concluding that speed and inexperience led to most of the accidents, the military this year began requiring its members, within three months of purchasing bikes, to take a course developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

That was a good response by the military. Ability to ride a motorcycle sufficiently well to get a license doesn’t mean riders cannot be unwisely seduced by the high speeds that motorcycles can attain.

Most of us have probably seen motorcyclists going well above the speed of traffic on highways, as well as cutting too close in front of cars while rapidly weaving in and out of lanes and riding swiftly between lanes when other vehicles are moving slowly because of congestion.

The AP interviewed a Marine who graduated from the military’s new safety course. “I thought I was a Jeff Gordon kind of racer, but I realized I’m really not,” he said.

We wish all motorcyclists would take advanced courses in safety. They’d likely come to the same conclusion.

Discussion: 1 comment so far…

By lvmachead

10/3/09 at 8:47 a.m.

Suggest removal

Many states have set up a system where potential motorcyclists can take a Motorcycle Safety Course through CSN as a means of acquiring the endorsement.This is a great start and there are advanced rider courses also available. I've take both and it has helped me be aware of the dangers on the road. They do not prevent stupidity and youthful exuberance.

By the way, did you look at the number of MC deaths in relationship to increased ridership? More Bikes mean more accidents and deaths.