Oregon Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
There were 61 motorcycle fatalities in Oregon in 2015. This number is up from previous years, and it is the highest number for the past decade. The lowest number came just two years earlier with 34 in 2013. This information comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Most of the victims were wearing their helmets at the time of the accident. In fact, only three did not have on a helmet, and three were unknown. Oregon has a universal helmet law, which requires everyone who rides a motorcycle to wear a helmet, regardless of age. For 2015, the state had a 95 percent helmet usage rate, which saved 34 lives. If there was 100 percent usage, one more life might have been saved.
The over 59 age group had the highest number of fatalities with 16 in 2015. The 40-49 and 50-59 age ranges were second with 14 each for the year. There were no deaths for the under 21 age range.
Oregon recorded 88,247 motorcycle registrations in 2014. The state also had a fatality rate per 100,000 of 52.13, which is up from 2013 but down from 2012. The number of registrations has been growing after dropping from over 100,000 in 2011.
Most of the counties in Oregon recorded at least one death in a motorcycle accident for 2015, but fewer than six. Only three counties had more than this number. All of them were located in the western part of the state. Lane County had eight with an increasing trend. Washington County doubled the past two previous years with seven. Clackamas was the third county with more than five deaths for the year. This county reported seven, which is up from five in 2013 and six in 2014, showing a small but steady increase.