NEW YORK – Motorcyclists may be their own worst enemy on the road.
Insurer Progressive Corp. found that single-vehicle mishaps accounted for more motorcycle-related claims last year than any other event, the company said Thursday. Ohio-based Progressive said it processed 3.5 times more of such claims than for rear-end crashes, the next-most common motorcycle incident.
“Excess speed is the most common rider-related factor in fatal motorcycle accidents,” said Steve Carapia, a California Highway Patrol public information officer. Motorcyclists who drive too fast can’t identify and react to obstacles in the road, he said.
“They don’t give themselves enough time to maneuver around the object,” Carapia said. “Due to their speed, it’s hard to negotiate that hazard.”
Motorcyclists made up 14 percent of all vehicle-related fatalities in 2013, up from about 9 percent in 2004, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. In 2013, more than 32,000 people were killed and 2.3 million injured in U.S. motor-vehicle crashes.
Riding while intoxicated on alcohol or controlled substances is another leading cause of motorcycle accidents, Carapia said. California had the biggest share of motorcycles on the road in 2012, with more than 780,000 registered in the country’s most populous state, according to Federal Highway Administration data.
“Progressive saw the most motorcycle claims from single vehicle accidents — far more than rear-end, intersection, and stolen bikes combined,” said Scott Hall, motorcycle product manager at the insurer. “Even when other vehicles aren’t around, you need to be extremely vigilant on the open road.”
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