Fatalities of Older Motorcycle Riders on the Rise

By Amber Carini

Published on August 29, 2007

Baby boomers are heading to the roads on motorcycles in large numbers due to retirement, decreased family responsibilities, and greater disposable income. A spokesman for the Motorcycle Industry Council says that the number of older motorcycle riders increased 34 percent over the last nine years.

Motorcycle-related deaths also increased for the ninth straight year. Although the number of fatalities rose in all age groups, the highway administration's statistics show that the proportion of fatalities in riders over 40 increased.

According to the study, most of the fatalities among older riders involved single-vehicle accidents in which the rider was on a weekend rural outing, riding a large-engine motorcycle, wearing a helmet, traveling at a legal speed, and had not been drinking.

The increased deaths are due to the fact that older people have a slower reaction time, diminished vision and hearing, and decreased physical endurance, says the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Additionally, older people are unable to recuperate from physical trauma the way their younger counterparts can, according to some physicians.

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