Understanding Motorcycle Accident Trends in Canada

In Canada, motorcycles are a popular mode of transportation and recreation, but they come with their own set of risks. Exploring data from recent years, we’ll shed light on the main contributors to these tragic incidents, the impact of helmet usage, and how various demographic factors, including gender and age, play a role. Additionally, we’ll examine the locations where these fatal accidents tend to occur, providing a comprehensive overview of the state of motorcycle safety in Canada.

• According to reports, motorcycle speed was identified as the primary contributing factor to motorcycle fatalities in Canada, accounting for 12% of these tragic incidents (Carsurance.net, 2020). In the year 2016, it was observed that wearing a helmet significantly reduced the risk of fatality in motorcycle crashes, with a 37% reduction for the operator and a 41% reduction for the passenger (NHTSA, 2018).
• It’s worth noting that in 2018, motorcycles made up only about 3% of registered vehicles, yet they were involved in 11% of motor vehicle fatalities and 12% of serious injuries. While the number of riders on the motorcycle was not always specified in 58% of cases, approximately one in nine motorcycle fatalities (12%) involved the deceased riding with another person at the time of the collision.
• Motorcycle fatalities affect individuals of all genders, but they are more prevalent among males. Between 2016 and 2020, the rate of motorcycle fatalities among males (8.5 deaths per 1,000,000 population) was over seven times higher than among females (1.1 deaths per 1,000,000 population). This gender difference was even more pronounced (12.5 times higher for males than for females) among drivers.
• These fatalities can result from both single-vehicle and multi-vehicle events. During the period from 2016 to 2020, more than half (55%) of motorcycle fatalities resulted from collisions involving two or more vehicles, while 38% of fatalities stemmed from single-motorcycle events.
• Furthermore, motorcycle fatalities exhibit variations among different age groups. The rate of motorcycle deaths was notably higher among those aged 40 to 59 years (7.1 deaths per 1,000,000 population), 25 to 39 years (6.7 deaths per 1,000,000 population), and 60 to 79 years (5.0 deaths per 1,000,000 population) compared to the overall rate for all age groups (4.8 deaths per 1,000,000 population).
• When examining the locations of fatal motorcycle collisions, intersections accounted for 31% of these incidents, while highways were the leading locations, representing 30% of such cases. A previous analysis of passenger vehicle fatalities also found that highways (40%) were the primary locations for fatalities involving passengers.

Sources:

https://tests.ca/driving-statistics/

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230515/dq230515b-eng.htm