Nebraska Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
Nebraska had a total of 25 motorcycle deaths that were reported for 2015. This information comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The number is up from previous years, and it represents the high point for the last decade. The low point came in 2013 with 14 and also in 2010.
Eighteen of the fatalities were wearing their helmets when the accident occurred. Only four did not have on a helmet and three others were unknown. The state has a universal helmet law, which means everyone is required to wear a helmet if they are riding a motorcycle.
Because of the helmet law, Nebraska had a usage rate of 82 percent in 2015. This saved 12 lives, but another two lives could have been saved if the rate had been at 100 percent.
Nebraska had 52,517 motorcycle registrations in 2014 with a fatality rate of 38.08 per 100,000 registrations. This number is up from 2013 but down from 2011 and 2012. The number of registrations also fluctuated within 5,000 each year.
The majority of victims in motorcycle fatal crashes were in the 20-29 age range with seven in 2015. In second place was those 50-59 with six deaths. One person over the age of 59 died and two under the age of 20.
Very few counties reported motorcycle deaths in 2015. The fatalities were concentrated in 12 counties with all but one reporting fewer than six for the year. Most of these counties were located in the eastern portion of the state. Douglas County reported nine, which was up from eight the year before. Just below Douglas County is Sarpy County with one for the same year. Lincoln County, located in the western part of the state, reported one death as well. The same was true for Dawes County in the northwestern area of Nebraska.