I blame Al Gore and global warming.

 

Yes yes the statistics say this and the statistics say that and the government or anybody for that matter can twist info around and juggle the numbers in infinite numbers of ways to make anything sound credible. But the fact of the matter is being on a motorcycle presents its own inherent set of risks over that of being in a car and for obvious reasons. The two together out on the roadways is an inevitable disaster waiting to happen (happening) if people don't LOOK OUT - riders AND drivers. Limiting the distractions will help, I totally agree, but it won't ever go away. One thing that hasn't been mentioned on the thread is education. I don't know of any drivers' ED course that incorporates MOTORCYCLE SAFETY into the mandatory requirements for getting a driver's lisence and I firmly believe they should. Still, the fatalities won't go away but if it saved one life it'd be worth it.

 

Everyone's to blame, because it is always "open season" on motorcycle riders.

 

i think
1.inattentive drivers
2. drinking and motorcycling
3. more bikes on the road.

The more gold you leave on the counter, the more you will lose..Same with bikes, 10 motorcycles on the road, low fatalities, 10,000,000 and a lot more fatalities.

 

especially if that one life is mine

 

I have a friend studying it and he said
1. distracted drivers (texting)
2. Increased in riders
3. more crowded roads.
That is what he told about the study when we discussed it.

 

Government uses statistics to prove whatever they want however they want. Its sometimes too funny,

A new government 10 year survey cost $3,000,000,000 revealed that 3/4 of the people in America make up 75% of the population.

 

I love statistics....as others have noted, it means nothing unless you can correlate it to the obviously increased numbers of people riding, as well as to many other factors....ages of riders, types of bikes, accident types /locations, etc. Newspapers love to run with numbers somebody pulled out of their *** so they can whip up hysteria. Worst case, it creates public pressure for legislative hysteria.

 

Don't think there is any one reason. Probably due, at least in part, to simlpy more vehicles on the road. Sure there is the cell phone thing. There is also the 18 year old on a 150HP sportbike thing. There's the guys riding drunk. The RUB riding an UltraClassic as a first bike. Runing red lights..... etc. Lotta reasons out there. But none of this is new. More cars (and bikes) = more chances for collision. My $.02

 

Around my area there is a total disregard for motorcycles; they seem to think you can just vaporize so they can take your lane/space. Also, there has always been a problem with the use of statistics... just remember, figures lie and lies figure!