Missouri Fatal Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Missouri reported 869 traffic fatalities in 2015, of which, 97 were motorcycle crash-related deaths. This number is an increase over the past two years, but down from 2012, which had 104 fatalities. After that high point, the following year saw 74 deaths before increasing to 91 in 2014. Missouri has a higher rate of traffic deaths per 100,000 population than the national average, which is 10.92 as compared to 14.28 for the state. This information comes from a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The state of Missouri has a law requiring all motorcycle riders to wear a helmet. Because of this law, 86 of the 97 fatalities involved people who had on a helmet at the time of the crash. These numbers had improved since 2008, 2009, and 2010 when more people rode without helmets. Because of helmet use, 53 lives were saved in motorcycle crashes.
The majority of people who were killed on motorcycles for 2015 were between the ages of 20 and 29 with 24 deaths. There was a total of 21 deaths for those between 50 and 59 and those over 59. Another 17 were between 40 and 49 while 13 fatality victims were between 30 and 39. Only one person who died was under the age of 20.
Many of the counties in Missouri had no motorcycle deaths for 2015. Of those that reported at least one death, most of them had fewer than five. Only two counties in the state had between 6 and 15 deaths. St. Louis County reported a total of six for the year with four of them wearing a helmet. Jackson County had the highest total with 14 deaths. This number was almost double what it was in 2014 when there were eight deaths for motorcycle riders.