OHIO, USA — The above video is about motorcycle safety tips from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and aired on July 19, 2022.
The U.S. is predicted to reach 6,000 motorcycle fatalities once 2021 results are cataloged, which would break the previous record of 5,579 set in 2020.
Insurance quote comparison company QuoteWizard conducted a study looking at motorcycle fatalities throughout the U.S. since 2001. Three factors were found to be heavily influential: helmet use, alcohol and climate.
Ohio ranked No. 5 for the most motorcycle deaths in 2021 with 211, up 30% from 2019. Southern states with warm weather conducive to riding, like Florida with 600 deaths and Texas with 483, have the highest rate of fatalities, the study found.
Ohio is one of 15 states with a rate of five motorcycle deaths for every 10,000 motorcycles, compared to Mississippi and Texas with the highest rates in the country at 12 per 10,000. But, Ohio is one of three states with a rate of five and 200 or more fatalities in 2020, with Pennsylvania at 219 and New York at 200.
Ohio is also in the 10 states with the highest number of motorcycle deaths involving alcohol.
It is tied with Nevada at No. 5 with 21% of deaths with a BAC over 0.15. Ohio ranks No. 9 with 32% of fatalities with a BAC of 0.08, which is the legal limit. Ohio is tied with Connecticut and New Hampshire at No. 7 with 40% of fatalities with a BAC over 0.01.
The study also shows helmet-wearing has declined from 2020-2021 in every U.S. region besides the south and the west. The study included if passengers wore helmets. The Midwest went from helmet use at 53% in 2020 to 45% in 2021, making it the only region under 50% in 2021.
Ohio ranks No. 18 in states for the highest number of deaths where a rider was wearing a helmet with 52. But, Ohio ranks No. 3 in death where a rider was not wearing a helmet with 156, behind Texas at 233 and Florida at 300.
Ohio and Indiana are the only states with over 100 helmetless deaths that also have laws requiring 17-year-olds and younger to wear helmets while riding.