By Steve Forand
To All,
Congratulations, you have survived the month of August. Historically, it is the most dangerous month to ride a motorcycle as most fatalities occur in August. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2022 (the last year of complete data) 6,218 motorcyclists were killed, a 1% increase from 2021. This is 15% of ALL traffic fatalities even though motorcycles account for approximately 3% of all registered vehicles. The report also indicates that 82,898 motorcyclists were injured in 2022. This is a 3% decrease from 2021, progress? Alcohol impairment played a significant role in fatal accidents. Riders involved in fatal crashes had a higher percentage of alcohol impairment than drivers of any other type of motor vehicles: (28% for motorcycles, 25% for passenger cars, 21% for light trucks and 3% for large trucks). Not surprisingly, 42% of riders who died in a single bike crash, were alcohol impaired. These remain stunning statistics. Despite the best efforts of anti-drunk driving campaigns, alcohol impaired driving still accounts for 25% (or better) of all fatalities.
We all know that riding without a helmet is a gamble. Rhode Island’s helmet law allows riders over 21 the option to wear a helmet. Under 21, or with only one year of riding experience, you are required to wear a helmet, and all passengers are required to wear a helmet. In 2022, Rhode Island had 10 motorcycle fatalities. In two fatalities helmets were worn, the other eight were unhelmeted. In keeping with the earlier alcohol impaired statistics, in eight of the fatalities, alcohol was involved. It is a challenging environment to ride the roads. Although we cannot mitigate all the risks involved in riding, we can make choices that increase our margin of safety. The complete NHTSA fact sheet can be found here: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/#!/PublicationList/6
It’s Clam Rally time!!! Have you registered for our Club’s big event? Do it now. Our sign-up numbers are low, especially for our club members. So don’t miss out!
Long summer days are ending. Sunset is getting earlier, and it is dark by 8:00pm. Where did the summer go? We had many great riding days and many rallies in the New England area to choose from. Razees is selling a lot of bikes, and there seems to be a lot more riders on the road. This is great for motorcycling!
See you on Monday night! Come early for dinner and motorcycle camaraderie.
Secretary