Texas motorcycle deaths jumped significantly last year, even as the coronavirus pandemic caused a sharp drop in traffic.
482 Texas Motorcyclist Killed in 2020
In 2020, the 7,481 motorcycle crashes reported along Texas roads and highways left 1,856 motorcyclists seriously injured and killed 482 others. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), motorcyclist fatalities were up 17% compared to 2019, despite a 2% drop in the overall number of accidents.
Motorcyclists accounted for 12% of all traffic fatalities statewide, with an average of one death occurring each day. The greatest number of fatal motorcycle crashes were reported in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, and Odessa.
“The six-month period from May through October is the deadliest for motorcycle riders and accounted for 61 percent of motorcycle fatalities in Texas last year,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “That’s why we are urging drivers to Look Twice for Motorcycles-there’s a life riding on it.”
Last year, 30% of Texas motorcycle fatalities occurred in an intersection or were intersection-related. These crashes often occur when drivers of cars and other vehicles make left turns in front of an oncoming motorcyclist, misjudging the distance and speed of the motorcycle.
Preventing Motorcycle Deaths and Accidents
TxDOT’s annual “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign launched earlier this month to alert drivers to the risks that motorcyclists face. With Memorial Day Weekend just around the corner, the Department is urging motorists to take the following precautions:
- Take extra care when making a left turn. Because it’s easy to misjudge the speed and proximity of an oncoming motorcycle, it’s safest to let the motorcycle pass to avoid turning in front of the rider.
- Pay special attention at intersections. Close to one-third of motorcycle fatalities happen at roadway intersections.
- Give driving your full attention. Any momentary distraction — answering a phone call or changing the radio station — can have deadly consequences. Always stay focused on the road.
- Look twice when changing lanes. Check mirrors, check blind spots, and always use turn signals.
- Give motorcyclists room when passing them. Move over to the passing lane and don’t crowd the motorcyclist’s full lane.
- Stay back. If you are behind a motorcycle, always maintain a safe following distance. When a motorcyclist downshifts instead of applying the brake to slow down, it can catch drivers off guard since there are no brake lights to signal that they are reducing their speed.
- Slow down. Always obey the posted speed limit.
Texas Traffic Fatalities Were Up 9% in 2020
Motorcycle crash deaths weren’t the only traffic accident fatalities to spike last year.
In fact, traffic-related deaths were up 24% nationwide, even though the total number of miles driven dropped by 13% compared to 2019. Texas traffic fatalities rose 9% in 2020.
While traffic volume fell significantly due to coronavirus-related shutdowns, a report compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) suggested an increase in risk-taking behaviors was behind the rising death toll. Among other things, the report noted that:
- Average vehicle speeds in major metropolitan areas rose 22% in 2020.
- 65% of drivers treated at trauma centers after serious accidents had drugs or alcohol in their systems compared to 50.6% before the pandemic.
- Double the average number of people were thrown from vehicles during crashes, suggesting more weren’t wearing seatbelts.
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