Many residents in South Carolina revel in the joy of riding a motorcycle. The feeling of freedom from the open air is something that simply cannot be replicated in a standard vehicle, even a convertible.
Unfortunately, the inherent lack of protection around motorcyclists makes them extremely vulnerable to serious injuries and even death when an accident occurs. Riders of all ages share this risk
Motorcyclist fatalities in South Carolina
Records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that the state of South Carolina has experienced a significant share of motorcyclist fatalities. In each of the five years spanning from 2014 to 2018, bikers represented anywhere from 13.6% to as much as 19% of the state’s total vehicular deaths.
In 2014, the state recorded 121 total motorcyclist fatalities. That jumped sharply the following year to 185 and then to 186 in 2016. A decline to 145 in 2017 and then to 141 in 2018 followed, but still kept the total number of deaths significantly greater than in 2014.
Older riders at risk
While some people may hold tight to the stereotype that bikers most likely to be in accidents are young and reckless, the statistics show otherwise. Between 2014 and 2018, a total of 172 riders from 20 to 29 years of age died on South Carolina roads. In contrast, a total of 256 motorcyclists aged 50 or older died over the same five years.
Deaths among riders in their 30s and 40s numbered only slightly less than among those in their 20s with 164 and 159 fatalities, respectively.
A recent news report by WLTX.com provided a look into the tragic death of two motorcyclists in their 70s after they were rear-ended by a vehicle.