From the state of South Carolina...
As of Monday -- with five weeks to go until year's end -- 102 motorcyclists had died on state roads. Last year's record was 94.
The deaths are the flip side to the alpha-male, "Easy Rider" image of bikers cruising down highways on sleek choppers.
• In almost three-fourths of the fatal crashes -- 74 of 102 -- bikers contributed to their own deaths. Eighteen bikers were driving under the influence. Thirty-one were speeding or going too fast for conditions. Ten ran off the road and hit ditches or trees, killing themselves or, in two cases, a passenger on the motorcycle.
• In four-fifths of the crashes -- 81 of the 102 -- the motorcyclists weren't wearing a helmet. Head injuries are a leading cause of motorcycle deaths, and helmets can save lives in 37 percent of motorcycle fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Drivers in other vehicles caused about one in five motorcyclists' deaths, or 23 of 102.
A major reason for biker deaths is that many people are buying heavy, expensive motorcycles and riding without much training, police and motorcycle advocates said.
Many new bikers are middle-aged men who buy expensive motorcycles and think riding them is easy, said Mary Eaddy, who represents the S.C. Motorcycle Dealers Association and Harley-Davidson™ dealerships in Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
"They say, 'I don't need to take any training. I know how to drive a car,'" she said.
A top-of-the-line Harley™, called the Ultra™, weighs 950 pounds and sells for about $21,000.
Not all is bad…
One major reason for the increase in fatalities in recent years is that there are more bikers on the road. In 2000, the state had 51,436 registered motorcycles; 86 bikers died. In 2005, there were 86,603 motorcycles registered; 94 died. Motorcycles increased 68 percent during that period, while motorcycle deaths increased 9 percent.
As of Monday -- with five weeks to go until year's end -- 102 motorcyclists had died on state roads. Last year's record was 94.
The deaths are the flip side to the alpha-male, "Easy Rider" image of bikers cruising down highways on sleek choppers.
• In almost three-fourths of the fatal crashes -- 74 of 102 -- bikers contributed to their own deaths. Eighteen bikers were driving under the influence. Thirty-one were speeding or going too fast for conditions. Ten ran off the road and hit ditches or trees, killing themselves or, in two cases, a passenger on the motorcycle.
• In four-fifths of the crashes -- 81 of the 102 -- the motorcyclists weren't wearing a helmet. Head injuries are a leading cause of motorcycle deaths, and helmets can save lives in 37 percent of motorcycle fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Drivers in other vehicles caused about one in five motorcyclists' deaths, or 23 of 102.
A major reason for biker deaths is that many people are buying heavy, expensive motorcycles and riding without much training, police and motorcycle advocates said.
Many new bikers are middle-aged men who buy expensive motorcycles and think riding them is easy, said Mary Eaddy, who represents the S.C. Motorcycle Dealers Association and Harley-Davidson™ dealerships in Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
"They say, 'I don't need to take any training. I know how to drive a car,'" she said.
A top-of-the-line Harley™, called the Ultra™, weighs 950 pounds and sells for about $21,000.
Not all is bad…
One major reason for the increase in fatalities in recent years is that there are more bikers on the road. In 2000, the state had 51,436 registered motorcycles; 86 bikers died. In 2005, there were 86,603 motorcycles registered; 94 died. Motorcycles increased 68 percent during that period, while motorcycle deaths increased 9 percent.
