Rhode Island Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
Rhode Island reported a total of nine motorcycle deaths for 2015, according to a report created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That number is down slightly from the ten reported in 2014 and the 11 recorded in 2013. While the numbers have fluctuated, overall the trend is declining. The high point came in 2009 when there were 19 deaths.
About half of the victims were wearing a helmet at the time of the accident with four not wearing one. This number is a positive change when in previous years more people failed to wear a helmet than those who did. In fact, the worst year was in 2010 when only four wore helmets, and 11 did not. The state has a helmet law, which requires all riders age 20 and younger to wear helmets when they ride. All passengers of motorcycles must wear a helmet no matter how old they are. All operators must also wear a helmet in the first year after being licensed.
This particular state had a helmet usage rate in 2015 of 56 percent. This saved three lives for that year, and another life could have been saved if the rate went up to 100 percent.
The majority of victims were between the ages of 20 and 29 with four. Two were in the 30-39 age range, and one person between 50 and 59 as well as one person over 59 years were fatalities. One person under 21 years of age was also a victim.
The state reported 31,870 registrations for bikes with a fatality rate per 100,000 of 31.38. This rate is decreasing from the previous year.
Rhode Island only has five counties, and all of them reported at least one motorcycle-related death, except for Bristol County with zero. Kent County had two, which was up from the year before while Newport County held steady with one for the past two years. Both Providence and Washington counties had three, but Washington was up from one for the year before. Providence was down from seven in 2014.