Motorcycles and ATVs | 2015

2015
All Fatality Facts topics

Motorcycles are less stable and less visible than cars and often have high performance capabilities. When motorcycles crash, their riders lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle, so they're more likely to be injured or killed. The federal government estimates that per mile traveled in 2014, the number of deaths on motorcycles was over 27 times the number in cars. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2016. Traffic safety facts, 2014: motorcycles. Report no. DOT HS-812-292. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation.

Because serious head injury is common among fatally injured motorcyclists, helmet use is important. Helmets are about 37 percent effective in preventing motorcycle deaths Deutermann, W. 2004. Motorcycle helmet effectiveness revisited. Report no. DOT HS-809-715. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. and about 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2008. Traffic safety facts, laws: motorcycle helmet use laws. Report no. DOT HS-810-887W. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation.  Yet only 19 states and the District of Columbia mandate helmet use by all riders. 

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are not designed for on-highway use, but in recent years more than 300 riders died in crashes on public roads annually.  

The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

Posted November 2016.

Data subsections:

Trends

A total of 4,693 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2015. Motorcyclist deaths had been declining since the early 1980s but began to increase in 1998 and continued to increase through 2008.  Motorcycle deaths accounted for 13 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2015 and were more than double the number of motorcyclist deaths in 1997. 

Passenger vehicle occupant and motorcyclist deaths as a percentage of all motor vehicle crash deaths, 1975-2015
YearPassenger vehicle occupant deathsMotorcyclist deaths All motor vehicle deaths
Number%Number%Number%
1975 30,601 69 3,106 7 44,525 100
1976 31,724 70 3,232 7 45,523 100
1977 32,823 69 4,004 8 47,878 100
1978 34,923 69 4,448 9 50,331 100
1979 35,026 69 4,712 9 51,093 100
1980 34,996 68 4,955 10 51,091 100
1981 33,711 68 4,737 10 49,301 100
1982 29,656 67 4,267 10 43,945 100
1983 29,154 68 4,099 10 42,589 100
1984 30,094 68 4,425 10 44,257 100
1985 29,848 68 4,415 10 43,825 100
1986 32,224 70 4,309 9 46,087 100
1987 33,145 71 3,832 8 46,390 100
1988 34,105 72 3,491 7 47,087 100
1989 33,599 74 3,030 7 45,582 100
1990 32,711 73 3,128 7 44,599 100
1991 30,810 74 2,702 7 41,508 100
1992 29,457 75 2,291 6 39,250 100
1993 29,994 75 2,346 6 40,150 100
1994 30,820 76 2,215 5 40,716 100
1995 31,914 76 2,138 5 41,817 100
1996 32,354 77 2,077 5 42,065 100
1997 32,343 77 2,056 5 42,013 100
1998 31,781 77 2,227 5 41,501 100
1999 32,008 77 2,419 6 41,717 100
2000 32,109 77 2,829 7 41,945 100
2001 31,938 76 3,123 7 42,196 100
2002 32,724 76 3,187 7 43,005 100
2003 32,166 75 3,641 8 42,884 100
2004 31,750 74 3,904 9 42,836 100
2005 31,455 72 4,460 10 43,510 100
2006 30,628 72 4,699 11 42,708 100
2007 29,155 71 5,050 12 41,259 100
2008 25,547 68 5,112 14 37,423 100
2009 23,507 69 4,286 13 33,883 100
2010 22,351 68 4,324 13 32,999 100
2011 21,413 66 4,403 14 32,479 100
2012 21,906 65 4,695 14 33,782 100
2013 21,361 65 4,402 13 32,894 100
2014 21,131 65 4,302 13 32,744 100
2015 22,543 64 4,693 13 35,092 100

In 2015, 27 percent of fatally injured motorcycle drivers were operating without a valid driver's license. The rate of unlicensed fatally injured motorcycle drivers during 2015 was higher than the rate of unlicensed fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers (27 percent vs. 15 percent).

Passenger vehicle and motorcycle driver deaths by driver's license status, 2004-2015
YearPassenger vehicle driversMotorcycle drivers
No valid licenseValid license Total* No valid licenseValid license Total*
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
2006 3,423 16 17,941 83 21,592 100 1,134 26 3,219 73 4,387 100
2007 3,206 16 17,142 83 20,542 100 1,239 26 3,461 73 4,740 100
2008 2,702 15 15,399 84 18,266 100 1,190 25 3,561 74 4,782 100
2009 2,407 14 14,294 85 16,834 100 886 22 3,077 77 3,987 100
2010 2,273 14 13,672 85 16,029 100 874 22 3,127 78 4,022 100
2011 2,254 14 13,225 85 15,561 100 891 22 3,210 78 4,120 100
2012 2,366 15 13,464 85 15,915 100 1,049 24 3,296 75 4,381 100
2013 2,319 15 13,174 85 15,577 100 1,058 26 3,060 74 4,147 100
2014 2,512 16 12,879 83 15,495 100 1,116 28 2,900 72 4,041 100
2015 2,543 15 13,811 84 16,484 100 1,196 27 3,183 72 4,415 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Forty-one percent of motorcyclist deaths in 2015 occurred in single-vehicle crashes, and 59 percent occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes.  This has remained largely unchanged since the 1980s.

Motorcyclist deaths by crash type, 1975-2015
YearSingle-vehicle Multiple-vehicleAll crashes*
Deaths%Deaths%Deaths%
1975 1,137 37 1,963 63 3,106 100
1976 1,235 38 1,981 61 3,232 100
1977 1,564 39 2,424 61 4,004 100
1978 1,701 38 2,726 61 4,448 100
1979 1,888 40 2,811 60 4,712 100
1980 2,034 41 2,897 58 4,955 100
1981 1,926 41 2,789 59 4,737 100
1982 1,804 42 2,463 58 4,267 100
1983 1,787 44 2,312 56 4,099 100
1984 1,879 42 2,546 58 4,425 100
1985 1,889 43 2,526 57 4,415 100
1986 1,835 43 2,474 57 4,309 100
1987 1,603 42 2,229 58 3,832 100
1988 1,466 42 2,025 58 3,491 100
1989 1,348 44 1,682 56 3,030 100
1990 1,380 44 1,748 56 3,128 100
1991 1,215 45 1,487 55 2,702 100
1992 1,054 46 1,237 54 2,291 100
1993 997 42 1,349 58 2,346 100
1994 951 43 1,264 57 2,215 100
1995 900 42 1,238 58 2,138 100
1996 881 42 1,196 58 2,077 100
1997 882 43 1,174 57 2,056 100
1998 993 45 1,234 55 2,227 100
1999 1,084 45 1,335 55 2,419 100
2000 1,253 44 1,576 56 2,829 100
2001 1,402 45 1,721 55 3,123 100
2002 1,475 46 1,712 54 3,187 100
2003 1,555 43 2,086 57 3,641 100
2004 1,718 44 2,186 56 3,904 100
2005 1,940 43 2,515 56 4,460 100
2006 2,049 44 2,644 56 4,699 100
2007 2,224 44 2,824 56 5,050 100
2008 2,331 46 2,777 54 5,112 100
2009 1,920 45 2,364 55 4,286 100
2010 1,958 45 2,366 55 4,324 100
2011 2,010 46 2,393 54 4,403 100
2012 2,029 43 2,666 57 4,695 100
2013 1,835 42 2,567 58 4,402 100
2014 1,799 42 2,503 58 4,302 100
2015 1,906 41 2,787 59 4,693 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Age and gender

In the early 1980s the proportion of fatally injured motorcyclists who were 50 and older started to increase, rising from 3 percent of all rider deaths in 1982 to 13 percent in 1997 and 35 percent in 2015. In contrast, 30 percent of the fatally injured motorcyclists in 2015 were younger than 30, compared with 80 percent in 1975. 

Motorcyclist deaths by age, 1975-2015
Year≤29 years30-39 years 40-49 years ≥50 yearsTotal*
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
19752,475 80 419 13 129 4 79 33,106 100
19762,565 79 426 13 142 4 97 33,232 100
19773,211 80 529 13 147 4 112 34,004 100
19783,557 80 603 14 177 4 104 24,448 100
19793,627 77 729 15 212 4 138 34,712 100
19803,641 73 896 18 265 5 149 34,955 100
19813,487 74 840 18 255 5 146 34,737 100
19823,082 72 790 19 247 6 138 34,267 100
19832,959 72 765 19 234 6 135 34,099 100
19843,171 72 813 18 263 6 165 44,425 100
19853,160 72 849 19 238 5 163 44,415 100
19863,034 70 877 20 257 6 131 34,309 100
19872,588 68 831 22 275 7 138 43,832 100
19882,309 66 757 22 278 8 146 43,491 100
19891,873 62 735 24 283 9 136 43,030 100
19901,885 60 805 26 265 8 173 63,128 100
19911,580 58 711 26 283 10 127 52,702 100
19921,242 54 638 28 268 12 143 62,291 100
19931,229 52 647 28 324 14 145 62,346 100
19941,121 51 584 26 338 15 171 82,215 100
19951,057 49 562 26 347 16 172 82,138 100
1996 932 45 541 26 408 20 196 92,077 100
1997 837 41 547 27 396 19 276 132,056 100
1998 897 40 599 27 465 21 265 122,227 100
1999 878 36 601 25 564 23 376 162,419 100
2000 986 35 696 25 666 24 476 172,829 100
20011,108 35 789 25 715 23 509 163,123 100
20021,022 32 767 24 758 24 638 203,187 100
20031,161 32 829 23 887 24 763 213,641 100
20041,256 32 853 22 946 24 849 223,904 100
20051,405 32 963 221,003 221,088 244,460 100
20061,495 32 984 211,085 231,134 244,699 100
20071,547 311,033 201,148 231,317 265,050 100
20081,580 31 964 191,135 221,431 285,112 100
20091,139 27 830 19 983 231,332 314,286 100
20101,121 26 787 18 968 221,447 334,324 100
20111,177 27 800 18 888 201,537 354,403 100
20121,219 26 883 19 930 201,662 354,695 100
20131,206 27 774 18 907 211,515 344,402 100
20141,276 30 725 17 747 171,553 364,302 100
20151,387 30 809 17 834 181,661 354,693 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Ninety-one percent of motorcyclists killed in 2015 were males.

Motorcyclist deaths by age and gender, 2015
AgeMale FemaleTotal*
Number%Number%Number%
<16 6 60 4 40 10 100
16-19 118 90 13 10 131 100
20-24 578 94 39 6 618 100
25-29 579 92 49 8 628 100
30-34 393 93 30 7 423 100
35-39 352 91 34 9 386 100
40-44 334 88 46 12 380 100
45-49 399 88 55 12 454 100
50-54 445 87 68 13 513 100
55-59 432 89 52 11 484 100
60-69 482 93 39 7 521 100
≥70 139 97 4 3 143 100
Total* 4,259 91 433 9 4,693 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Sixty-one percent of the female motorcyclists who died in crashes in 2015 were passengers, and their deaths represented 95 percent of the passenger deaths. The vast majority of male motorcyclists who died were drivers.

Motorcyclist deaths by person type and gender, 2015
Person typeMale Female
Number%Number%
Driver 4,244100 170 39
Passenger 13 <1 262 61
Total* 4,259100 433100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Helmet use

In 2015, 61 percent of fatally injured motorcycle drivers were helmeted. Helmet use was lower, at 47 percent, for people killed as passengers on motorcycles.

Helmet use of fatally injured motorcycle drivers and passengers, 2015
Helmet No helmetUnknown Total
Number%Number%Number%Number%
Driver 2,677 61 1,630 37 108 2 4,415 100
Passenger 130 47 139 51 6 2 275 100
Total* 2,809 60 1,769 38 115 2 4,693 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

In 2015, 92 percent of fatally injured motorcyclists were helmeted in states with helmet laws that cover all riders, in contrast to only 27 percent in states with no helmet law. In states with helmet laws that cover only some riders, 41 percent of fatally injured motorcyclists were helmeted.

Helmet use of fatally injured motorcyclists by helmet law status, 2015
Helmet No helmetUnknown Total
Number%Number%Number%Number%
No law 58 27 148 71 3 1 209 100
Partial law 1,124 41 1,500 56 77 3 2,701 100
Universal law 1,627 92 121 7 35 2 1,783 100
Total 2,809 60 1,769 38 115 2 4,693 100

Motorcycle type and engine size

Engine sizes of motorcycles whose drivers were killed in crashes have gone up dramatically. Among motorcycle drivers killed in 2015, 31 percent drove motorcycles with engine sizes larger than 1,400 cc, compared with 9 percent in 2000 and less than 1 percent in 1990.

Motorcycle driver deaths by motorcycle engine size, 1985-2015
Year0-1,000 cc 1,001-1,400 cc>1,400 cc Total*
Number%Number%Number%Number
1985 2,64968 61316 0 0 3,896
1986 2,73472 62016 0 0 3,790
1987 2,44172 60118 0 0 3,409
1988 2,14968 61520 6<1 3,139
1989 1,83168 53920 3<1 2,682
1990 1,89568 61922 5<1 2,790
1991 1,63268 54523 13 1 2,404
1992 1,35165 51725 7<1 2,079
1993 1,33063 58227 11 1 2,120
1994 1,19960 53327 15 1 1,995
1995 1,17461 56429 22 1 1,939
1996 1,10259 54629 36 2 1,881
1997 1,05356 61233 33 2 1,878
1998 1,14056 64832 46 2 2,026
1999 1,07348 64429 98 4 2,223
2000 1,34152 77930 234 9 2,591
2001 1,54053 78027 30911 2,886
2002 1,47550 73725 48216 2,952
2003 1,62048 82925 61218 3,358
2004 1,77549 81323 72120 3,593
2005 2,06950 92822 86121 4,142
2006 2,17950 86020 1,01423 4,387
2007 2,39551 91719 1,11724 4,740
2008 2,31948 87418 1,23826 4,782
2009 1,80545 73518 1,13729 3,987
2010 1,74143 73118 1,17829 4,022
2011 1,92847 75218 1,18029 4,120
2012 1,97845 78418 1,30730 4,381
2013 1,95147 69217 1,27631 4,126
2014 1,88847 67917 1,29032 4,035
2015 2,06547 72716 1,38431 4,415
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Among the motorcycles whose drivers were killed in 2015, 88 percent of touring bikes had engines larger than 1,400 cc, while virtually all supersport bikes had engines of sizes 1,000 cc or smaller.

Fatally injured motorcycle drivers by motorcycle type and engine size, 2015
0-1,000 cc 1,001-1,400 cc>1,400 cc Total *
Number%Number%Number%Number%
Cruiser/standard 378 26 417 28 669 45 1,481100
Touring 6 1 80 10 686 88 780100
Sport-touring 10 23 32 74 00 43100
Sport/unclad sport 350 67 152 29 12 2 520100
Supersport 1,115 97 15 1 00 1,148100
Off-road 67 96 00 00 70100
Other/unknown 139 37 31 8 17 5 373100
Total 2,065 47 727 16 1,384 31 4,415100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Among fatally injured motorcycle drivers in 2015, 85 percent of cruiser or standard motorcycle drivers were 30 or older, as were 96 percent of touring bike drivers. In contrast, 57 percent of fatally injured off-road bike drivers and 61 percent of fatally injured supersport drivers in 2015 were younger than 30.

Fatally injured motorcycle drivers by age and motorcycle type, 2015
<30 years 30-39 years 40-49 years 50+ years Total *
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
Cruiser/standard 221 15 226 15 311 21 722 491,481 100
Touring 34 4 63 8 151 19 532 68 780 100
Sport-touring 6 14 3 7 9 21 25 58 43 100
Sport/unclad sport 234 45 122 23 95 18 69 13 520 100
Supersport 699 61 277 24 131 11 41 41,148 100
Off-road 40 57 15 21 10 14 4 6 70 100
Other/unknown 77 21 60 16 71 19 165 44 373 100
Total 1,311 30 766 17 778 181,558 354,415 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

At 77 percent, helmet use was highest among fatally injured drivers of supersport motorcycles in 2015. About half of fatally injured drivers of touring motorcycles and of cruisers or standard motorcycles were helmeted.

Helmet use of fatally injured motorcycle drivers by motorcycle type, 2015
Helmet No helmetUnknown Total
Number%Number%Number%Number%
Cruiser/standard 762 52 687 46 32 2 1,481 100
Touring 392 50 366 47 22 2 780 100
Sport-touring 31 72 11 26 1 2 43 100
Sport/unclad sport 387 75 120 23 13 3 520 100
Supersport 891 77 238 21 19 1 1,148 100
Off-road 16 22 52 74 2 2 70 100
Other 104 71 36 25 5 3 145 100
Unknown 94 41 120 53 14 5 228 100
Total 2,677 61 1,630 37 108 2 4,415 100

When and where they died

Sixty percent of motorcyclist deaths in 2015 occurred during May-September. Fatalities peaked in July and were lowest in February.

Motorcyclist deaths by month, 2015
MonthDeaths%
January 150 3
February 130 3
March 286 6
April 382 8
May 541 12
June 546 12
July 625 13
August 599 13
September 503 11
October 456 10
November 241 5
December 234 5
Total 4,693 100

Forty-nine percent of motorcyclist deaths in 2015 occurred on weekends, and those deaths were more likely to occur after 6 p.m. compared with weekdays.

Motorcyclist deaths by time of day, 2015
Weekend (6 p.m. Friday - 6 a.m. Monday)Other times Total
Number%Number%
Midnight - 3 a.m. 253 10 141 6 394
3 a.m. - 6 a.m. 89 4 82 4 171
6 a.m. - 9 a.m. 60 3 220 9 280
9 a.m. - noon 198 9 214 9 412
Noon - 3 p.m. 330 15 377 16 707
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. 397 17 580 24 977
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 569 24 450 19 1,019
9 p.m. - midnight 391 17 314 13 705
Total* 2,299 100 2,394 100 4,693
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

About half (48 percent) of motorcyclist deaths in 2015 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways. Deaths were more likely to occur in urban than rural areas (49 percent vs. 41 percent).

Motorcyclist deaths by location of crash, 2015
Road TypeUrban Rural UnknownTotal
Number%Number%Number%Number%
Interstates and freeways 497 10 117 20<1 614 13
Non-interstate major roads 1,276 27 954 200<1 2,230 47
Minor roads 510 10 840 170<1 1,350 28
Unknown 16 <1 4 <1 479 10 499 10
Total 2,299 48 1,915 40 479 10 4,693100

Alcohol involvement

Twenty-eight percent of fatally injured motorcycle drivers in 2015 had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08 percent; in single-vehicle crashes this was 42 percent.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured motorcycle drivers with high BACs by crash type, 2015
Crash typeDeathsEstimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15
NumberNumber%Number%
Single-vehicle 1,798 753 42 498 28
Multiple-vehicle 2,617 464 18 233 9
All crashes 4,415 1,218 28 731 17

Forty-nine percent of motorcycle drivers killed at night (9 p.m.-6 a.m.) in 2015 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured motorcycle drivers with high BACs by time of day, 2015
Time of dayDeathsEstimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15
NumberNumber%Number%
Nighttime (9 p.m. - 6 a.m.) 1,193 590 49 368 31
Other times 3,222 627 19 363 11
Total 4,415 1,218 28 731 17

ATVs

Deaths of ATV riders on public roads have increased more than ninefold since 1982, the first year they were explicitly identified in FARS.  The proportion of fatally injured ATV riders who were 40 and older increased from 9 percent in 1982 to 43 percent in 2015.  The proportion younger than age 20 decreased from 54 percent in 1982 to 19 percent in 2015. 

Deaths of ATV rider on public roads by age, 1982-2015
Year<13 years 13-19 years20-29 years30-39 years40-49 years50+ years Total*
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
1982 6 17 13 37 7 20 6 1700 3 9 35 100
1983 2 5 18 43 12 29 5 12 2 5 3 7 42 100
1984 4 9 17 36 14 30 6 13 5 11 1 2 47 100
1985 9 20 20 43 12 26 1 2 1 2 3 7 46 100
1986 11 18 20 33 21 34 6 10 1 2 2 3 61 100
1987 12 16 18 24 23 31 10 14 6 8 5 7 74 100
1988 14 18 26 34 21 27 7 9 5 6 4 5 77 100
1989 13 14 39 41 21 22 10 11 6 6 6 6 95 100
1990 12 10 44 36 37 31 13 11 8 7 7 6 121 100
1991 10 8 34 29 42 36 18 15 6 5 8 7 118 100
1992 8 7 44 37 39 33 12 10 4 3 12 10 119 100
1993 11 11 42 41 23 23 20 20 2 2 4 4 102 100
1994 10 9 42 37 31 27 12 11 8 7 10 9 113 100
1995 9 9 34 33 32 31 12 12 4 4 11 11 102 100
1996 16 11 44 30 43 29 23 16 6 4 16 11 148 100
1997 10 8 47 36 33 25 18 14 5 4 17 13 130 100
1998 17 12 55 37 29 20 23 16 12 8 11 7 147 100
1999 13 8 60 35 46 27 26 15 11 6 17 10 173 100
2000 12 6 73 34 63 30 30 14 18 8 17 8 213 100
2001 19 8 69 31 51 23 46 21 19 8 20 9 224 100
2002 21 8 69 28 69 28 39 16 21 8 31 12 250 100
2003 22 7 83 28 73 24 49 16 43 14 31 10 301 100
2004 22 7 99 29 101 30 39 12 33 10 43 13 337 100
2005 29 9 87 26 89 26 46 14 40 12 46 14 337 100
2006 16 4 95 26 102 28 61 17 41 11 47 13 362 100
2007 17 5 79 21 116 32 60 16 60 16 36 10 368 100
2008 24 6 83 22 98 26 65 17 46 12 61 16 377 100
2009 16 5 70 21 81 24 54 16 61 18 53 16 335 100
2010 16 5 51 16 66 21 47 15 56 18 80 25 316 100
2011 10 3 47 15 74 24 54 18 54 18 66 22 305 100
2012 15 5 40 13 79 26 56 18 53 17 61 20 304 100
2013 14 4 48 15 73 23 61 19 48 15 76 24 320 100
2014 18 6 37 11 81 25 64 20 46 14 79 24 325 100
2015 19 6 42 13 72 22 52 16 45 14 94 29 324 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Eight percent of fatally injured ATV riders wore helmets in 2015.

Helmet use among fatally injured ATV riders on public roads, 2015
No helmet Helmet Other/unknownTotal
Number%Number%Number%Number%
Driver 239 83 29 10 19 7 287 100
Passenger 26 79 3 9 4 12 33 100
Unknown 1 2500 3 75 4 100
Total 266 82 32 10 26 8 324 100
Seventy-five percent of fatally injured ATV riders were killed in crashes involving no other vehicles in 2015, compared with 48 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes.
Crash deaths by number of involved vehicles and vehicle type, 2015
Crash type ATV riders Passenger vehicle occupantsAll motor vehicle deaths*
Number%Number%Number%
Single-vehicle 242 75 10,857 48 19,298 55
Multiple-vehicle 82 25 11,685 52 15,794 45
All crashes 324 100 22,542 100 35,092 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Among ATV riders killed in single-vehicle crashes in 2015, 62 percent involved the ATV rolling over during the crash. This was comparable with SUVs and large trucks , but higher than cars (44 percent).
Occupant deaths in single-vehicle crashes by rollover, 2015
Rollover No rolloverTotal
Number%Number%Number%
ATV 151 62 91 38 242 100
Car 2,410 44 3,067 56 5,477 100
SUV 1,727 68 831 32 2,558 100
Pickup 1,532 58 1,099 42 2,631 100
Large trucks 238 68 111 32 349 100

ATV rider deaths on public roads in 2015 were highest in July. Fifty-six percent of the deaths in 2015 occurred during May-September. 

ATV rider deaths on public roads by month, 2015
Deaths%
January 15 5
February 15 5
March 21 6
April 24 7
May 27 8
June 40 12
July 44 14
August 42 13
September 30 9
October 19 6
November 27 8
December 20 6
Total 324 100
Seventy-three percent of ATV riders killed on public roads in 2015 were on rural roads. Of those, 63 percent were on minor roads.
ATV rider deaths by road type and land use, 2015
Road typeUrban Rural UnknownTotal
Number%Number%Number%Number%
Non-interstate major roads 10 3 26 800 36 11
Minor roads 35 11 205 6300 240 74
Unknown 2 1 5 2 40 12 47 15
Interstates and freeways 1 00000 1 0
Total 48 15 236 73 40 12 324 100

In 2015, 50 percent of fatally injured ATV drivers on public roads had BACs at or above 0.08 percent.  Impairment was highest, at 63 percent, among fatally injured ATV drivers ages 40-49. 

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured ATV drivers with high BACs on public roads by age, 2015
AgeDeathsEstimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15
NumberNumber%Number%
<20 32 5 16 3 8
20-29 69 41 60 24 35
30-39 50 26 52 14 27
40-49 50 32 63 26 53
50+ 56 24 42 21 37
Total 257 128 50 88 34

References