Virginia Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
There was a total of 79 motorcycle fatalities in Virginia in 2015, according to information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This number was down slightly from the 90 reported in 2014. It was tied with 2013 and down from the three prior years before that.
Only three of those who died in 2015 were not wearing a helmet, and one was unknown. The other 75 did have on their helmets in the crash. Virginia has a universal helmet law, which requires everyone who either operates or rides a motorcycle to wear a helmet at all times. The state had a 96 percent usage rate in 2015, which saved 45 lives.
Most of the fatality victims were either in the 20-29 or the 50-59 age groups with 18 deaths for each. In second place were 30-39 and those over age 59 with 16 each. There was only one death for those who were under the age of 21 in 2015.
Virginia recorded 195,230 registrations for motorcycles in 2014, which was up slightly from 2013. The fatality rate per 100,000 motorcycles was 46.10, which was up from the past two years.
Slightly fewer than half the counties in Virginia had at least one motorcycle death in 2015, but two counties reported more than five. One was in the northern tip of the state while the other was in the eastern portion.
Fauquier County, which is the one located in the north, reported six deaths. This number is up from zero for the previous year. Hampton, which is situated in the eastern section of the state, also reported six deaths, which was up from the two reported in 2014. These two areas saw the most fatalities for the year.