Iowa Fatal Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Of the 320 traffic fatalities in Iowa in 2015, 41 were motorcycle related. This number is down from 2014, which had 52 deaths. The numbers have fluctuated between each year with an increase followed by a decrease. Iowa is slightly below the national average of 10.92 with 10.24 fatalities per 100,000 population.
Of the 41 motorcycle-related fatalities, only nine were wearing their helmet. Thirty-one riders were not wearing a helmet, which likely contributed to the fatality rate. The number of lives saved at the current rate of helmet use is 5, but it could be 12 more if everyone wore a helmet. There are no helmet requirements in Iowa for motorcycle riders.
The number of deaths involving a motorcycle increased from 2011 when there were 36 recorded. In 2012, that number increased to 59 before dropping back down to 41. In 2014, the number rose again to 52 before dropping to the most previous record of 41.
The majority of deaths where a motorcycle was involved had drivers in between the ages of 50 and 59 with 12. Ten drivers were between the ages of 20 and 29 with only five deaths for drivers 30-39 and eight for those over 59. There were six deaths for drivers between 40 and 49.
The majority of counties in Iowa saw no fatal motorcycle crashes. A total of 22 counties had between one and five deaths with one county reporting between six and fifteen. Counties with larger metropolitan areas like Des Moines County reported zero. The county with the highest record was Pottawattamie with six, which was an increase from 2014 when they reported four. The year before that was just one. Counties like Woodbury have decreased from reporting one or two fatal accidents to dropping to zero.