Motorcycles (Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety), 2020

Georgia Traffic Safety Facts
2020 Data

June 2022
In this fact sheet, information is presented as follows.
Motorcyclist Fatalities and Serious Injuries - Motorcyclists Fatalities - Motorcyclists Serious Injuries - Helmet Use
Crash Characteristics - Urban vs. Rural - Environmental Characteristics
Contributing Circumstances - Speeding - Alcohol Involvement
Motorcycle Licensure & Vehicle Registration
Demographics
This fact sheet contains information from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) crash data modified by Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System (CODES) at the Department of Public Health (DPH), Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR), Georgia Emergency Medical Services Information System (GEMSIS), Hospital Discharge Data, Emergency Room Data, and the Georgia Trauma Registry.
Governor's Office of Highway Safety
7 MLK. Jr Dr SE Suite #643 Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-6996 www.gahighwaysafety.org

Motorcycles
As defined in this fact sheet, a motorcyclist is a general term to refer to either the rider (motorcycle operator) or passenger. A motorcycle includes two- or three-wheeled motorcycles, off-road motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters, minibikes, and pocket bikes.
2020 Key Findings
There were 192 motorcyclist fatalities that occurred in motor vehicle traffic crashes on Georgia roadways the largest number of motorcyclist fatalities experienced in the past decade.
Motorcycles consistently represent 2 percent of all registered vehicles and are involved in 1 percent of all motor vehicle crashes in Georgia. Motorcycle operators also represent 6 percent of all licensed drivers, but 21 percent of all driver fatalities.
Among all the traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries involving motorcyclists, 97 percent were riding on a motorcycle, and 3 percent were occupants of other vehicles or non-motorists.
Helmet use (90%) among Georgia motorcyclists involved in a crash resulted in an estimated 103 lives saved.
The majority of all motorcycle crashes occur in north Georgia. Generally, there are higher motorcycle crash rates in Atlanta Region and rural counties in the northeast along the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama borders.
Nearly half (46 percent) of motorcycle operators involved in crashes were riding without a valid motorcycle designation (Class M or MP) on their driver's license at the time of the crash.
Motorcycle operators losing control is the top contributing factor among motorcyclists involved in single-vehicle crashes--53 percent of operators lost control of their motorcycle moments before colliding with another object that was not another vehicle.
The total motorcycle-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $230.5 million.
Motorcyclists aged 25-to-34 years have the highest proportions and rates (per 100,000 population) of police-reported suspected serious injuries, EMS transports, trauma care, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations compared to motorcyclists in other age groups.

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Motorcyclist Fatalities and Serious Injuries

Motorcyclist Fatalities
In 2020, there were 1,664 fatalities that occurred in motor vehicle traffic crashes on Georgia roadways the largest number of traffic fatalities since 2006. The 192 motorcyclist fatalities that occurred in 2020 represented 12 percent of all traffic fatalities (Figure 1) and is the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities experienced in the past decade. Between 2019 and 2020:
Motorcycle registrations increased by 2 percent, from 203,343 to 206,834.
Motorcyclist fatalities increased by 13 percent, from 170 to 192.
The rate of motorcycle fatalities increased by 11 percent, from 83.6 to 92.8 motorcycle fatalities per 100,000 motorcycle registrations.
Table 1 presents the number of total traffic fatalities, Georgia motorcycle registrations, and motorcyclist fatalities from 2011 to 2020.
Motorcyclist Injuries
The following section describes various responses to serious injuries experienced by motorcyclists involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Injured motorcyclists can be counted multiple times for each response (e.g., an injured person may be counted as a hospital and/or trauma center patient). The various responses to injuries are described in Table 2.

Figure 1. Rate and Percent of Motorcyclist Fatalities, 2011-2020

Rate per 100,000 Registrations

14%

Percent of All Traffic Fatalities

12% 12%
10%

11%

10%

12%

11%

8%

75.3
6%

66.6

58.2

68.7

76.1

4%

11% 86.2

9% 68.2

10% 75.6

11% 83.6

120.0
12% 100.0
92.8 80.0
6 0. 0
4 0. 0

2%

2 0. 0

0%

0.0

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Source: FARS 20112020; FY2014-FY2019 DOR Annual Reports; DOR 2019-2020

Table 1. Rate and Percent of Motorcyclist Traffic Fatalities, 2011-2020

Year

Total Traffic Fatalities

Registered Motorcycles

Motorcyclist Fatalities

Number Percent
of All Traffic Fatalities

Rate
per 100,000 Registrations

2011

1,226

199,253

150

12%

75.3

2012

1,192

201,206

134

11%

66.6

2013

1,180

199,287

116

10%

58.2

2014

1,164

199,445

137

12%

68.7

2015

1,432

199,796

152

11%

76.1

2016

1,556

199,504

172

11%

86.2

2017

1,540

203,783

139

9%

68.2

2018

1,504

203,639

154

10%

75.6

2019

1,491

203,343

170

11%

83.6

2020

1,664

206,834

192

12%

92.8

Note: Motorcycle registrations include commercial and non-commercial motorcycles.

Source: FARS 20112020; FY2014-FY2019 DOR Annual Reports; DOR 2019-2020

Table 2. Description of Traffic Injury Surveillance Data Sources
Traffic Injury Surveillance Data Sources
Suspected Serious Crash Injuries are reported by law enforcement responding to a motor vehicle crash scene.

Emergency Medical Services include all ground and air transports to an emergency facility for patients who are injured and require medical care in the state of Georgia.
Trauma Center patients are identified as those with serious injuries that meet specific criteria. The State of Georgia follows the identification and treatment guidelines established by the American College of Surgeons along with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Field Triage Criteria.
Emergency Room and Hospitalizations include Georgia resident discharges from Georgia non-federal acute care hospitals. Emergency room (ER) visits include individuals who were discharged directly from the ER. Hospitalizations include individuals who may have visited the emergency room.

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Table 3 shows the number and percent change of motorcycle traffic-related serious injuries for each injury surveillance source. Most surveillance sources show an increase in motorcyclists with serious injuries. Between 2019 and 2020:
Police-reported motorcyclists suspected injuries increased by 5 percent.
The number of motorcyclists transported to a hospital facility by the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) increased by 11 percent.
Motor vehicle traffic-related emergency room only visits involving motorcyclists decreased by 3 percent and hospitalizations increased 9 percent.
Motorcyclist injuries treated by designated and non-designated Trauma Centers decreased by 8 percent.

Table 3. Motorcyclists Traffic-Related Serious Injuries by Injury Surveillance Source, 2019-2020

Injury Surveillance Source
Police Crash Reports

2019 793

2020 834

2019-2020 Percent Change
+ 5%

Emergency Medical Services

2,069

2,300

+11%

Trauma

1,487

1,374

- 8%

Emergency Department

3,346

3,229

-3%

Hospital

1,016

1,105

9%

Note: All persons involved in a Georgia crash receive care in a Georgia Emergency Department or Hospital regardless of their state residency. EMS arrivals to motor vehicle traffic crashes with reported serious injuries and fatalities may or may not have resulted in transport to a medical facility.
Source: CODES 2019- 2020, DPH Hospital Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Room Visit Data 20192020, GEMSIS 2019-2020, Georgia Trauma Registry 2019-2020

Motorcyclists aged 25-to-34 years have the highest proportions and rates (per 100,000 population) of policereported suspected serious injuries, EMS transports, trauma care, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations compared to motorcyclists in other age groups. Young motorcyclists ages 21-to-24 years have the highest rate of police-reported suspected serious injuries, EMS transports, and emergency room visits compared to other age groups.

Table 4. Motorcyclists Traffic-Related Serious Injuries, Percent of Total Serious Injuries, and Rate per 100,000 Population by Age Group and by Injury Surveillance Source, 2020

Age Group
<15 15-24

Police-Reported Suspected
Serious Crash Injuries

#

% Rate

12 1% 0.6

142 17% 9.7

Emergency Medical Services

#

% Rate

46 2% 2.2

433 19% 29.7

Trauma Center Emergency Room

#

% Rate #

% Rate

15 1% 0.7 135 4% 6.6

219 16% 15.0 681 21% 46.7

Hospitalizations

#

% Rate

3

0%

0.2

142 13% 9.7

15-20 54

6%

6.1

188

8%

21.2

98

7% 11.1 306

9%

34.5

53

5%

6.0

21-24 88

11%

15.4

245 11% 42.9 121

9%

21.2 375

12%

65.6

89

8%

15.6

25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

217 26% 14.4 628 27% 41.7 361 26% 24.0 885 27% 58.8 283 26% 18.8

160 19% 11.5 398 17% 28.5 251 18% 18.0 585 18% 41.9 215 19% 15.4

153 18% 11.0 379 16% 27.2 251 18% 18.0 494 15% 35.5 216 20% 15.5

93 11% 7.0 279 12% 21.1 191 14% 14.4 320 10% 24.2 166 15% 12.6

45 5% 2.9 133 6% 8.4 86 6% 5.5 129 4%

8.2

80

7%

5.1

Total 834* 100% 7.8 2,300 100% 21.5 1,374 100% 12.8 3,229 100% 30.2 1,105 100% 10.3

*Includes twelve suspected serious injuries with unknown age Source: CODES 2020, DPH-OHIP Hospital Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Room Visit Only Data 2020, GEMSIS 2020, Georgia Trauma Registry 2020

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Suspected Serious Crash Injuries

According to 2020 police crash reports, 4,138 motorcyclists (3,876 operators and 262 passengers) were involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes, and there were 834 suspected serious injuries among motorcyclists. In 2020, motorcyclists with police-reported suspected serious injuries increased by 18 percent from the 705 serious injuries in 2019.

Out of the 3,786 crashes that involved motorcyclists, 58 percent were multi-vehicle crashes (involving other vehicles that were not a motorcycle vehicle body type), 40 percent were single vehicles (involving only one motorcyclist), and 2 percent were crashes involved two or more motorcycles. Sixty-two percent of motorcyclist serious injuries and 66 percent of all motorcyclist fatalities occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes.

Figure 2 shows the percent of fatalities or serious injuries among all persons involved in crashes with at least one motorcyclist in 2020. Among all the serious injuries involving motorcyclists:
97 percent rode on a motorcycle (represented by purple in Figure 4). - 91 percent were the motorcyclist operator - 6 percent were motorcycle passengers
3 percent were occupants of other vehicles or nonmotorists (represented by blue in Figure 4). - 2 percent were occupants of vehicles that were not a motorcycle vehicle body type. - 1 percent were non-motorists (i.e., pedestrians or bicyclists).
In 2020, 11 percent (89 out of 841) of all motorcycle vehicles involved in serious injury crashes were multioccupant motorcycles (had at least two occupants-- operators and passengers--riding on a motorcycle). Passengers of motorcyclists are likely to obtain the same injuries as the motorcycle operators when they are involved in a traffic crash. This risk of a motorcycle operator obtaining a fatal or serious injury (0.70) was not statistically different from the risk of a motorcycle passenger obtaining a fatal injury (0.64).1
Nearly three-quarters of all passengers on motorcycles involved in traffic crashes or serious injury crashes were female--most were in the 25-to-34 age group. Thirteen out of the 14 motorcycle passengers involved in fatal crashes were female. See Demographics section on page 14 for operator information.

Figure 2. Percent of Persons Fatally or Seriously Injured in Crashes involving Motorcyclists by Person Type, 2020

Occupants of Other Vehicles 2% (17)
Motorcycle Passengers
6% (64)

Non-Motorists 1% (8)

852 Serious Injuries 199 Fatal Injuries
Source: CODES 2020, FARS 2020

Motorcycle Operators 91% (962)

Table 5. Serious and Fatal Injuries among

Multi-Occupant Motorcycles by Person

Type, 2020

Person Type

Fatal or Serious

No

Total

Injuries

Injury

Motorcycle Passenger

64 (64%)

36 (36%) 100

Motorcycle Operator

71 (70%)

31 (30%) 102

Source: CODES 2020, FARS 2020

1 The relative risk of motorcycle passengers on multi-occupant motorcycles and involved in serious injury crashes obtaining a serious or fatal injury compared to motorcycle operators is 0.92 (CI:0.75-1.11)--statistically insignificant.
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Emergency Medical Services
In 2020, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transported 2,300 motorcyclists involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes to a hospital facility--an 11 percent increase compared to 2,069 in 2019. Six percent of all motor vehicle traffic-related EMS transports involved motorcyclists.
In 2020, 84 percent (1,929 out of 2,300) of the motorcyclists transported by EMS were male. The rate of EMS transports per 100,000 population was 37.1 for male motorcyclists and 7.8 for female motorcyclists. Male motorcyclists in the 21-to-24 and 25-to-34 age groups had the highest rate of EMS transports compared to other age groups. The EMS transport rate for male motorcyclists was 72.2 for the 21-to-24 age group and 71.5 for the 25-to-34 age group.

Trauma Center Patients
According to the Georgia Trauma Registry data, motor vehicle traffic-related incidents (motor vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists) accounted for nearly one-third of all injuries treated by designated and non-designated Georgia Trauma Centers2 in 2020. In 2020, there were a total of 1,374 motorcyclists identified as trauma patients treated within Georgia Trauma Centers--an 8 percent decrease compared to 1,487 in 2019. Nearly one out of every three motorcyclists (31 percent) treated at the trauma centers had minor injuries, and 12 percent had very severe injuries.

Emergency Room Visits & Hospitalizations
In 2020, there were 4,335 motor vehicle traffic-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations3 involving motorcyclists--a 1 percent decrease compared to 4,362 in 2019. Motorcyclists aged 25-to-34 years had the highest rate of emergency room visits and hospitalizations compared to other age groups 58.8 emergency room visits and 18.8 hospitalizations for every 100,000 population. The total motorcycle-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $230.5 million.

In 2020, the total motorcyclerelated hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was
$230.5 M

Helmet Use
Since 1969, Georgia's universal helmet law4 has never been repealed or changed. Three of the five bordering states (Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina) have also not repealed or changed their helmet law. Most other states have certain specifications for helmet use or no helmet law. The stability of Georgia's universal helmet law may contribute to the high helmet usage rate--estimated to be 97.8 percent across the state in 2021.
In 2020, nearly 9 out of 10 fatally injured motorcyclists in Georgia (87 percent) were reported wearing a helmet compared to 57 percent nationwide. Based on reported known helmet use, 17 percent of motorcyclists involved in crashes, 15 percent of motorcyclists with serious injuries, and 10 percent of motorcyclists fatally injured were un-helmeted.

2 Not all hospitals are designated as Trauma Centers. 3 Some hospitalizations may include emergency room visit information if the individuals were admitted into the same facility. Emergency room visits only include individuals who were discharged directly from the ER. Hospitalizations and emergency room visits include Georgia residents only, while fatalities can be a person out-of-state. 4 O.C.G.A. 40-6-315
Page 5

Table 6. Motorcyclists Involved in Crashes, Serious Injuries, and Fatalities by Helmet Use, 2020

Motorcyclists
Motorcyclists involved in crashes Motorcyclists with serious injuries Fatally injured motorcyclists

Total

Helmeted

#

%

4,138 3,220 78%

Un-helmeted

#

%

637 15%

Unknown # %
281 7%

834 678 81% 121 15% 35 4%

192 167 87% 18

9%

7 4%

Percent Based on Known Helmet Use
Helmeted Un-helmeted

83%

17%

85%

15%

90%

10%

Source: CODES 2020, FARS 2020

Helmet use among Georgia motorcyclists resulted in an estimated 103 lives saved5. If all Georgia motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional seven lives would have been saved. Although not all crashes are survivable, helmet use is still an effective means of preventing fatalities. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatalities for motorcycle operators and 41 percent for motorcycle passengers.6 "In other words, for every 100 motorcycle [operators] killed in crashes while not wearing helmets, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets." NHTSA estimates that Georgia saved $116 million in economic costs because of helmet use in 20177.

Helmet use among Georgia motorcyclists resulted in an estimated 103 lives saved. Although not all crashes are survivable, helmet use is still an effective means of preventing fatalities. An additional 37 for every 100 motorcyclists fatally injured could have been saved if they had
all worn helmets.

Crash Characteristics
According to the police crash reports, there were 3,786 motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one motorcycle in 2020--a 4 percent decrease compared to 3,948 motorcycle crashes that occurred in 2019. Despite the decrease in motorcycle crashes, the number of crashes where a motorcyclist was seriously or fatally injured increased by 18 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Table 8 shows the number of motorcyclist traffic crashes, serious injury crashes, and fatal crashes between 2016 and 2020.

Table 7. Motorcycle (MC) Traffic Crashes, Serious Injury Crashes, and Fatal Crashes, 2016-2020

Year

MC Fatal Crashes

MC Serious

MC

Injury Crashes Crashes

2016

167

1,020

4,498

2017

138

955

4,158

2018

151

573

3,121

2019

168

686

3,948

2020

185

808

3,786

Source: CODES 2016- 2020, FARS 2016-2020

5 National Center for Statistics and Analysis (2011, March). Determining Estimates of Lives and Costs Saved by Motorcycle Helmets. (DOT HS 811 433). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 6 National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2020, June). Motorcycle helmet use in 2019 Overall results (DOT HS 812 936). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 7 National Center for Statistics and Analysis (2019, December). Lives and Costs Saved by Motorcycle Helmets. (DOT HS 812 867). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Urban vs. Rural8
In 2020, there were 1,830.5 motorcycle crashes for every 100,000 motorcycle registrations statewide (Table 8). Motorcycle crashes are more frequent in urban areas than in rural areas.
The Atlanta Region accounted
for 37 percent (1,407 out of 3,786) of all motorcycle crashes and 33 percent of all motorcycle registrations.
Other urban counties accounted
for 40 percent (1,517 out of 3,786) of all motorcycle crashes and 40 percent of all motorcycle registrations.

Table 8. Motorcycle Crashes, Motorcycle Registrations, and Motorcycle Crash Rate by Region Type, 2020

Region

Motorcycle Crashes
Number Percent

Registered Motorcycles

Number

Percent

Motorcycle Crash Rate
per 100,000 Registrations

Atlanta Region9
(10 counites)

1,407

37%

68,314

33%

2,059.6

Other Urban
(31 counties)

1,517 40% 83,365

40%

1,819.7

Rural Counties
(118 counties)

862

23%

55,155

27%

1,562.9

Statewide

3,786 100% 206,834 100%

1,830.5

Source: CODES 2020, DOR 2020

Table 9 below shows the percent of motorcycle crashes by region and roadway classification in 2020. Most motorcycle crashes statewide occurred on minor arterial roadways (27 percent) and local
roadways (24 percent).
The Atlanta Region experienced more motorcycle crashes on minor arterial roadways (11
percent) compared to any other roadways classification in the region.
Other urban counties experienced more motorcycle crashes on minor arterial roadways
(11 percent) and local roads (11 percent).
Rural counties experienced more motorcycle crashes on collector roads (roads that
connect local roads and streets)--7 percent. Three percent of all traffic crashes and 7 percent of motorcycle crashes were on collectors in rural counties.

Table 9. Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes Involving Non-Motorists by Region and Roadway Classification, 2020

Roadway Classification

Atlanta Region

Other Urban Counties

Rural Counties

Statewide

Interstate

4%

2%

1%

7%

Principal Arterial

7%

10%

5%

22%

Minor Arterial

11%

11%

5%

27%

Collectors

4%

6%

7%

17%

Local

9%

11%

5%

24%

Other

1%

--

--

1%

All Roadways

37%

40%

23%

100%

Note: The sum of the individual cells may not equal row or column totals due to rounding error. Totals include MC crashes with

unknown roadway classification Source: Numetric 2020

8 Rural counties are counties that have a residential population less than 50,000 persons. This is different than roadway classifications where urban road systems can be located in urban clusters (or metropolitan areas) of at least 2,500 persons within the rural counties. 9 The Atlanta Region includes the ten counties that are defined by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.
Page 7

Figure 3 shows the motorcycle crash rate for counties with ten or more motorcycle crashes in 2020 and their deviation from the statewide percent of motorcycle crash rate (1,830.5 motorcycle crashes for every 100,000 motorcycle registrations).
The majority of all motorcycle crashes occur in north Georgia. Generally, there are higher motorcycle crash rates in Atlanta Region and rural counties in the northeast along the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama border. Nine percent of all motorcycle operators involved in Georgia traffic crashes had a license from another state five percent were licensed from a bordering state (Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee).

Figure 3. Motorcycle (MC) Crashes per 100,000 MC Registrations for Counties with 10+ MC Crashes, 2020
Motorcycle Crashes per 100,000 Motorcycle Registrations
400 - 4,349 4,350 - 1,799 1,800 - 2,149 2,150 +
Statewide crash rate is 1,830.5 motorcycle crashes per 100,000 motorcycle registrations
Source: CODES 2020

The most motorcycle serious injury and fatal crashes occurred within the four counties of the Atlanta Region Fulton, Cobb, Dekalb, and Gwinnett counties. However, Lumpkin County has the highest motorcycle serious injury and fatal crashes per 100,000 motorcycle registrations. Rural counties have the highest rate of motorcycle crashes for every 1,000 motor vehicle crashes that occur in the county-- particularly in Clay, Charlton, Franklin, and Irwin counties.

Table 10. Top Counties with 10+ MC Crashes and the Highest Motorcyclists Serious Injury and

Fatal Crashes and Motorcycle Crash Rate, 2020

Motorcyclist Serious Injuries and Fatalities Crashes

All Motorcycle Crashes

Rank

Count

Rate

Rate

per 100,000 MC Registration per 100,000 MC Registrations

Rate per 1,000 MV Crashes

County

Number County

Rate

County

Rate

County

Rate

1 Fulton

85 Laurens

1,283.5 Lumpkin

4,357.0 Lumpkin

73.6

2 Cobb

63 Murray

1,037.5 Bibb

3,981.1 Lincoln

55.6

3 Dekalb

61 Crisp

1,034.5 Chatham

3,745.9 Towns

51.0

4 Gwinnett

58 Clayton

1,000.0 Rabun

3,511.5 Rabun

46.5

5 Chatham

41 Bibb

Source: CODES 2020; OASIS 2020 ; FARS 2020

995.3 Peach

3,376.2 Pulaski

44.2

See the "Additional Information" to access the Appendix for this document. The Appendix includes the following information by county: Motorcycle Crashes Motorcycle Registrations Motorcycle Licensed
Operators Suspected Serious Injuries and Fatalities Suspected and Confirmed Motorcycle Operator Alcohol Involvement.

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Environmental Characteristics
Table 11 summarizes the environmental characteristics of where and when motorcycle fatal crashes and traffic crashes occurred in 2020. Most motorcycle fatal crashes and traffic crashes occurred in non-intersection areas of the roadway and in clear weather conditions. However, there are differences in other environmental characteristics between motorcyclist fatal crashes and motorcycle traffic crashes that may or may not have injured persons.
45 percent of all motorcycle fatal crashes occur in dark conditions, whereas 71 percent of all motorcycle crashes occur in daylight conditions.
30 percent of all motorcycle fatal crashes occur during the nighttime hours (6:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) during the weekend, whereas 37 percent of all motorcycle crashes occur during the daytime hours (6:00 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) on the weekday.
33 percent of all fatal crashes occur during the fall season, whereas 31 percent of all crashes occur during the summer season.

Table 11. Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Motorcyclists by

Environmental Characteristics, 2020

Environmental Characteristics

Motorcycle

Motorcycle

Fatal Crashes Traffic Crashes

Number Percent Number Percent

Location * Intersection (or related)
Non-Intersection

77

42%

1,381

36%

108

58%

1,764

47%

Other

--

--

641

17%

Light Conditions

Dark Daylight

83

45%

953

25%

91

49%

2,685

71%

Dawn

4

2%

48

1%

Dusk

7

4%

81

2%

Day of Week / Time of Day *

Weekday

92

Nighttime

41

Daytime

51

Weekend

93

Nighttime

56

Daytime

37

Weather Conditions

50% 22% 28% 50% 30% 20%

2,121 710
1,411 1,665
778 887

56% 19% 37% 44% 21% 23%

Clear

141

76%

2,991

79%

Cloudy

35

19%

632

17%

Rain

8

4%

130

3%

Other Season

1

1%

33

1%

Winter

29

16%

510

13%

Spring

46

25%

1,007

27%

Summer

49

26%

1,167

31%

Fall

61

33%

1,102

29%

Weekday 6:00 a.m. Monday to 5:59 p.m. Friday

Weekend 6:00 p.m. Friday to 5:59 a.m. Monday

Daytime 6:00 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.

Nighttime 6:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.

*See data considerations for definitions of intersection and non-intersection locations

Source: CODES 2020, FARS 2020

In 2020, more motorcyclist fatal crashes occurred in the October and August months. Figure 4 shows the percentage of motorcyclist fatal crashes by season, month, and time of day.

Figure 4. Motorcyclist Fatal Crashes by Season, Month, and Time of Day, 2020

15% Daytime (6:00 a.m. 5:59 p.m) Nighttime (6:00 p.m. 5:59 a.m)

52% 48% (87) (88) All Seasons

10%

8%

5%
1% 3%
0%

3% 3%

3% 4%

4% 5%

4% 4%

3% 2%

5% 3%

9% 4%

5% 5%

6%

5% 5%

3% 4%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Note: Nighttime and daytime groupings are based on the time of day in hours. The time-groupings do not consider the change in lighting conditions associated with the seasons (i.e., extended or longer daylight hours in the summer). Source: FARS 2020

Page 9

Contributing Circumstances
In 2020, 60 percent of all motorcycle crashes involved two or more vehicles (multi-vehicle crashes), and 40 percent were single-vehicle motorcycle crashes. The most harmful event in motorcycle crashes was collisions with other motor vehicles in transport for multi-vehicle crashes and the overturn of the motorcycle (non-collision related) for single-vehicle crashes.
Passenger vehicles10 were more frequently involved in crashes with motorcyclists compared to other vehicle types. The most common manner of collision in multi-vehicle crashes involving motorcycles were angle and rear-end crashes. The manner of collision is not vehicle specific and does not identify which vehicle or driver was at fault. Table 5 below shows the highest rank manner of collision for multivehicle traffic crashes, injury crashes, and fatal crashes that involve a motorcyclist.

Table 12. Highest Rank Manner of Collision for Multi-Vehicle Crashes involving Motorcyclist by Crash Type, 2020

Rank

Fatal Crashes

Manner of Collision

% of crashes

Serious Injury Crashes

Manner of Collision

% of crashes

Traffic Crashes

Manner of Collision

% of crashes

1 Angle

61% Angle

56% Angle

41%

2 Rear end (Front-to-rear)

16%

Rear end (Front-to-rear)

17%

Rear end (Front-to-rear)

31%

3 Head on (Front-to-front)
4 Not a collision with a motor vehicle

9%

Head on (Front-to-front)

6%

Sideswipe same direction

10% 8%

Sideswipe same direction
Not a collision with a motor vehicle

14% 6%

Source: CODES 2020; FARS 2020

Motorcycle operators losing control is the top contributing factor among motorcyclists involved in singlevehicle crashes. In 2020, 53 percent of operators lost control of their motorcycle moments before they collided with another object that was not another vehicle. The top contributing factors among motorcycle operators involved in multi-vehicle crashes were following too closely (15 percent) and risky/aggressive driving (12 percent). The top factors for other drivers involved in multi-vehicle crashes with motorcyclists were failure to yield (25 percent) and following too closely (9 percent). This does not imply that the motorcycle operators or other drivers caused the crash either by their actions or failure to act.

Table 13. Top Contributing Factors with Crashes involving Motorcyclists by Number of Vehicles Involved and Person Type, 2020

Rank
1

Single Vehicle Crashes

Motorcyclists

Description

% of all operators

Operator lost control

53%

Two-Vehicle Crashes

Motorcyclists Description

% of all operators

Other Driver Description

Following too close

15% Failed to yield

% of all drivers
25%

2 Speeding

19% Risky/aggressive driving

12% Following too close

9%

3 Risky/aggressive driving

8% Speeding

8% Risky/aggressive driving

8%

4 Under the influence of alcohol and/or drug

8% Driver lost control

6% Improper Turn

4%

Source: CODES 2020; FARS 2020

10 Passenger vehicles include passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

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SPEEDING MOTORCYCLISTS

Drivers are considered to be speeding if they were charged with a speeding-related offense or if a police officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, exceeding the posted speed limit, or evading police was a contributing factor in the crash. In 2020:
31 percent of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding;
16 percent of all motorcyclists involved in serious injury crashes were speeding; and,
12 percent of all motorcyclists involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes were speeding.

Table 14. Number of Motorcycle Operators and Drivers Involved in Speeding-Related Crashes by Vehicle Category and Crash Type, 2020

Vehicle Type Motorcycles

Fatal Serious Injury

Crashes

Crashes

#

%

#

%

196 100% 840 100%

All Traffic Crashes

#

%

3,876 100%

Speeding

60 31% 135 16%

484 12%

Not-Speeding 136 69% 705 84% 3,392 88%

Other Vehicles 2,169 100% 10,210 100% 598,987 100%

Speeding

448 21% 799

8% 17,886 3%

Not-Speeding 1,721 79% 9,411 92% 581,101 97%

TOTAL

2,365

11,050

602,863

Source: CODES 2020, FARS 2020

A greater proportion of motorcycle operators involved in fatal, serious injury, or motor vehicle crashes were speeding compared to other vehicle categories (Figure 5). In 2020:
31 percent of all motorcycle operators
involved in fatal crashes were speeding compared to 22 percent for passenger car drivers, and 8 percent for large-truck drivers.
16 percent of all motorcycle operators
involved in serious injury crashes were speeding.
12 percent of all motorcycle operators
involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes were speeding.

Figure 5. Percent of Drivers or Motorcycle Operators Speeding by Vehicle Category and Crash Type, 2020

35% 31%

30%

25%

22%

Motorcycle Passenger Vehicles Large Trucks

20%

16%

15%

12%

10%

8%

8%

5%

4%

3% 2%

0%
Fatal Crashes

Serious Injury All Traffic Crashes Crashes

Source: FARS 2020, CODES 2020

Moreover, compared to other age groups, motorcycle operators 25-to-34 years represented a greater proportion of motorcycle operators involved in speed-related crashes, speed-related serious injury crashes, and speed-related fatal crashes compared to other age groups.

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ALCOHOL INVOLVEMENT AMONG MOTORCYCLISTS
Alcohol involvement is defined as whether alcohol was consumed by the motorcycle operator before the crash; the presence of alcohol may or may not be a contributing factor in the crash. Under Georgia law it is a rebuttable presumed criminal offense to operate a motor vehicle at or above a 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) blood alcohol concentration (BAC) tested via blood, breath, or urine. However, impairment occurs when the driver's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is compromised--this can be above or below the Georgia legal limit of .08 g/dL. Georgia law states drivers cannot operate a moving vehicle while under the influence of alcohol to the extent that it is less safe to drive.11 Under this law, drivers can be cited and convicted of impaired driving even with a BAC below 0.08 g/dL.
Across the 3,876 Georgia motorcyclists involved in crashes in 2020, less than 5 percent were either confirmed or suspected of alcohol impairment-- 81 motorcycle operators were confirmed of alcohol impairment, and an additional 100 motorcycle operators were suspected of alcohol impairment. Of those motorcycle operators suspected of alcohol impairment, many did not have a BAC value reported in the police crash report; however, they were administered an alcohol test.
The number of motorcycle operators involved in a fatal crash with a positive BAC (0.01+ g/dL) increased by 38 percent, from 26 in 2019 to 36 in 2020. These motorcycle operators may or may not have been fatally injured in the crash. Table 14 shows motorcycle operators involved in a fatal crash by BAC from 2016-2020. In 2020:
23 percent of motorcycle operators had a BAC of 0.00 or no alcohol. 6 percent of motorcycle operators had a BAC between 0.01 and 0.07. 13 percent of motorcycle operators had a BAC of 0.08 or above. 59 percent of motorcycle operators had an unknown or unreported BAC.

Table 15. Motorcycle Operators Involved in a Fatal Crash by BAC, 2016-2020

Year

Motorcycle Operators

BAC .00 g/dL Number Percent

BAC .01-.07 g/dL BAC .08+ g/dL Number Percent Number Percent

Unknown / Unreported
Number Percent

2016

174

71

41%

4

2%

22

13%

77

44%

2017

142

43

30%

4

3%

19

13%

76

54%

2018

158

54

34%

10

6%

22

14%

72

46%

2019

174

61

35%

4

2%

22

13%

87

50%

2020

196

45

23%

11

6%

25

13%

115

59%

Note: Motorcycle operators may or may not have been fatally injured in the crash. BAC .00 g/dL means no alcohol present. BAC .01- .07 g/dL means some alcohol is present, and the driver is below the Georgia legal limit. BAC .08+ g/dL means alcohol is present, and the driver is above the Georgia legal limit. Source: FARS 2020

For additional information, see the Appendix for the percentage of motorcycle operators involved in motor vehicle crashes confirmed or suspected of alcohol impairment by county for 2020.

11 O.C.G.A. 40-6-391(a)(1)

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Motorcycle Licensure & Vehicle Registration
Motorcycle operators with a Class M license or a Class M Instructional Permit (MP) have a valid license to operate a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle in Georgia legally. Across the decade, drivers with a Class M license only, Class MP license only, or had a Class M status assigned to another license type consistently represented about 6 percent of all licensed drivers. Between 2019 and 2020: Licenses with Class M designations (Class M
only or Class M with other licenses classes) increased by 9 percent Licenses with Class MP designations increased by 19 percent
According to the Department of Driver Services (DDS), approximately 5,700 individuals completed the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program in FY2020. The program teaches crash-avoidance skills to motorcycle riders of various experience levels. Despite the statewide reach of the Motorcycle Safety Program, 46 percent of motorcycle operators involved in a traffic crash in 2020 were either unlicensed or did not have a valid designation on their driver's license--a net 5-point increase compared to 2019.
Motorcycles consistently represent two percent of all registered vehicles in Georgia. According to the Department of Revenue 2021 vehicle registration, the most common motorcycles registered in Georgia were manufactured by Harley-Davidson Motor Company (39 percent of all registered motorcycles), Suzuki Motor of America (9 percent), and Yamaha Motor Company (9 percent). Among the motorcycle body classifications identified by NHTSA vPIC, motorcyclist fatalities were more frequent on sports motorcycles (38 percent), followed by touring motorcycles (19 percent), custom motorcycles (16 percent), and cruisers (12 percent).

Table 16., 2019-2020 Percent Change in

Motorcycle Licensure, License Status for

Motorcyclists involved in Crashes, and

Motorcycle Registration

Measure

2019-2020
Percent Change

All Georgia Licensed Drivers / Operators

Total Class M / MP

10%

Class M

9%

Class MP

19%

Other License Class

11%

Motorcyclist Operator involved in Crashes

Total Class M / MP

-12%

Class M

-10%

Class MP

-27%

Other license Class not valid to operate a motorcycle

6%

No license present or licensure status unknown

35%

Registered Motorcycles

All Engine Sizes

2%

Despite the statewide reach of the Motorcycle Safety Program,
46 percent
of motorcycle operators involved in a traffic crash in 2020 were either unlicensed or did
not have a valid designation on their driver's license.

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Demographics
Age
While older persons within the 55-to-64 age group have the highest proportion of properly licensed motorcyclists and motorcycle registrants, motorcyclists in the 25-to-34 age group have the highest involvement in crashes and receive a greater proportion of motorcycle-related convictions. Motorcycle operators aged 25-to-34 years represent 11 percent of all riders with a valid Class M or MP license compared to drivers in other age groups; however, they also represented:
28 percent of motorcycle operators who sustained fatal and serious injuries; 26 percent of motorcycle operators involved in a traffic crash; 30 percent of motorcycle operators with invalid or no license credentials involved in a crash; and 38 percent of motorcycle operators with convictions reported to the Georgia Department of
Driver Services.

Table 17. Motorcycle Operator Fatalities, Motorcycle Crashes, Licensed Motorcyclists with a Class M or MP License, and Motorcycle Registrations, 2020

Age Group
Children
(less than 15)
15-24 15-20 21-24
25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Unknown TOTAL

Motorcyclists Fatalities and Serious Injuries
Operator Passenger

1%
16% 6% 10% 28% 19% 19% 12% 5% 1% 962
100%

9%
14% 8% 6% 19% 19% 14% 8% 9% 8% 64
100%

Motorcyclist Operator involved in Crashes
1%
18% 8% 10% 26% 17% 17% 12% 5% 4% 4,138
100%

Motorcyclist Operator
Convictions
1%
28% 14% 14% 38% 16% 11% 7%
--281
100%

Licensed Motorcyclists
Class M/ MP
--
2% 1% 2% 11% 15% 22% 27% 23% -466,646
100%

Motorcycle Registrants
(2021)
--
3% 1% 2% 11% 15% 24% 28% 17% 1% 212,788
100%

Source: FARS 2020, CODES 2020, DDS 2020, DOR 2020

The proportion of motorcycle operators involved in traffic crashes that are unlicensed or did not have the valid Class M/MP designation on their license decreases as the age group increases. Among motorcycle operators in the 25to-34 age group, only 39 percent had a valid Class M/MP license, 50 percent did not have the Class M/MP designation, 3 percent had a suspended or revoked license, and 8 percent were reported as unknown.

Figure 6. Licensing Status of Motorcycle Operators involved in Traffic Crashes by Age Group, 2020

Valid License (Class M / MP) Invalid or Unlicensed Unknown

100% 80% 60% 40%

82%

12% 52%

20%
18%
0%

36%

Less 15-24

than 15

8% 53%

8% 51%

8% 42%

39% 41% 50%
25-34 35-44 45-54 Age Group

8% 32%
60%
55-64

7% 28%
65%
65+

Source: CODES 2020

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Sex & Race/Ethnicity In 2020, 92 percent (3,552 out of 3,876) of the motorcycle operators involved in crashes were male, and five percent (205 out of 3,876) were female, and three percent were unknown or unreported (119 out of 3,876). Seventy-four percent (195 out of 262) of the motorcycle passengers involved in crashes were female. White, Non-Hispanic motorcyclists represent the largest proportion of motorcycle operator fatalities (64 percent), hospital visits (59 percent), and emergency room visits (63 percent) compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Despite the differences in proportions, the total hospital and emergency room rates per 100,000 population among White, non-Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic are nearly the same--41.8 for White, non-Hispanic and 39.0 for Black, non-Hispanic. The motorcycle operator fatality rate per population is also similar--1.8 for White, non-Hispanic and 1.5 for Black, non-Hispanic.
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Data Definitions and Considerations: This fact sheet defines motorcyclists as either the rider (motorcycle operator) or passenger. A motorcycle includes two- or threewheeled motorcycles, off-road motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters, minibikes, and pocket bikes. A large truck is any medium or heavy truck, excluding buses and motor homes, and can include commercial and non-commercial vehicles. Passenger vehicles include passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Motorcycle registration data for 2020 was obtained from the Department of Revenue (DOR) by special request on the calendar year in lieu of the state fiscal year. Although motorcycle registrations may use the terminology All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to describe off-road motorcycles, this fact sheet only considers any motorcycle involved in a crash on public roadways. Additionally, motorcycle registrations include commercial and non-commercial motorcycles. Commercial motorcycles include motorcycles owned by dealers or manufacturers. A traffic crash is defined as an incident that involved one or more motor vehicles where at least one vehicle was in transport, and the crash originated on a public trafficway, such as a road or highway. Crashes that occurred on private property, including parking lots and driveways, are excluded. Fatal crashes are defined as crashes that involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and that resulted in the death of a motorist or a non-motorist within 30 days of the crash. Serious injuries are those suspected serious injuries reported by law enforcement and used when any injury, other than fatal injury, prevents the injured person from walking, driving, or normally continuing the activities the person was capable of before the injury occurred. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the Federal agency responsible for the use of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10) in the United States, has developed a clinical modification (CM) of the classification for morbidity (EMS, trauma, hospital, and ER data) purposes. ICD-10 Codes used were V20-V28 (.3 - .9), V29 (.4 - .9). For fatal crashes only, Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) values are imputed to address the problem of missing blood alcohol test results in the FARS data system. A multiple imputation methodology is employed to generate specific values of BAC for persons involved in fatal crashes. Many drivers confirmed or suspected of alcohol impairment will not have a BAC value reported in the police crash report. Drivers suspected of alcohol may have an alcohol test administered; however, the results or findings were not validated or included in the final police crash report. Contributing circumstances capture the precrash elements or improper actions of persons (motorcycle operators, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists) that may have caused the crash. Contributing factors in fatal and nonfatal crashes are often underreported in the datasets. There is at least one record per person involved in a fatal crash (FARS Data) and some missing records for persons involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes (Crash Data). Rural counties are counties that have a population of less than 50,000 according to the United States decennial census of 2010 or any future such census (OCGA Section 31-6-2). This is different than roadway classifications, where urban road systems can be located in urban clusters (or metropolitan areas) of at least 2,500 persons within the rural counties. "At Intersection" is used when a person is on a roadway either (1) in the intersection, (2) in the area between a crosswalk and the perimeter of the intersection, or (3) in a crosswalk (marked or unmarked) adjacent to an intersection. "Not at Intersection" is when the person is more than 50 feet out from the perimeter of an intersection and the crash is not identified as related to the movement of vehicles through an intersection.
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Additional Information: Other general information on motorcycle safety and traffic safety facts may be accessed at:
Appendix: Motorcycles Georgia Traffic Safety Facts https://www.gahighwaysafety.org/highway-safety/shsp/
Other traffic safety facts are available online at the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety and Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation Systems (CODES): Risky Driving, Traffic Safety During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Distracted Drivers, Occupant Protection, Non-Motorist (Pedestrians and Bicyclists), Motorcycle Safety, Young Adult Drivers, and Older Drivers.

The suggested APA format citation for this document is:
Georgia Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System. (2022, June). Motorcycles: 2020 data. (Georgia Traffic Safety Facts). Atlanta, GA: Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

References:
National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2020, June). Motorcycle helmet use in 2019 Overall results Traffic Safety Fact Research Note. (DOT HS 812 936). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812936
National Center for Statistics and Analysis (2011, March). Determining Estimates of Lives and Costs Saved by Motorcycle Helmets. (DOT HS 811 433). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811433
National Center for Statistics and Analysis (2019, December). Lives and Costs Saved by Motorcycle Helmets. (DOT HS 812 867). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Available at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812867

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