Here’s an obvious conclusion from a Dallas Morning News article about motorcycle collisons: the more motorcycles that are on the streets, the more motorcycles that will be involved in collisions. This statistic is showing up in the Dallas suburb of Richardson. Here are excerpts from the article:
The city is on the verge of a dubious and ominous record. With 11 traffic fatalities already this year, police expect Richardson to easily top the record 12 motorists who died on its streets in 2000 and 2006.
Police say one big reason for the surge is that there are more motorcycles on the road these days.
“Texans are looking for cheaper modes of transportation to save on gas, and there’s a huge increase in the motorcycle population out there,” said John Young, coordinator for the Texas Department of Public Safety’s motorcycle safety unit. “But with the increase in [motorcycle] usage, we’re seeing an increase in mishaps.”
Statewide, motorcycle deaths have increased steadily in recent years, from 295 in 2004 to 405 last year. Though the end of July, 279 people have died in motorcycle crashes on Texas roadways.
