AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas is one of the most dangerous states in the country for motorcyclists, according to findings from California-based personal injury law firm Easton & Easton.
Texas ranked the second worst state in the U.S. for motorcycle riders, falling behind Hawaii in the No. 1 spot. The Lone Star State received an overall score of 72.9 out of 100, with the following breakdowns by category:
- 14.07% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involved motorcycles
- 14.56 people killed per 10,000 registered motorcycles
- 44.99% of drivers involved in fatal motorcycle crashes were drunk
- 48.88% of drivers involved in fatal motorcycle crashes were speeding
Rounding out the Top 5 were Missouri, Arizona and Nevada in third, fourth and fifth places, respectively.
The firm reviewed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety while compiling the 2025 analysis, Easton & Easton noted. Data points factoring into the final rankings included the percentage of fatal motorcycle crashes, the number of fatalities per 10,000 registered motorcycles along with the impacts of impaired driving — including speeding, alcohol and distractions.
Reviewing 2022 NHTSA data, nearly 16% of the more than 39,000 fatal vehicle crashes in the U.S. involved motorcycles. From those crashes, more than 42,000 people died — including over 6,300 motorcyclists, per Easton & Easton.
Taking a larger-scale look at motorcycle injuries, the U.S. has averaged nearly 82,000 motorcycle injuries each year over the past decade. Zeroing in on 2022, Easton & Easton’s report found more than 77,000 motorcycle injuries were recorded in 2022, amounting to over 212 injuries each day.
A year-to-year breakdown of motorcycle injuries within a decade’s timespan amounted to the following statistics:
- 2013: 81,891 motorcycle injuries
- 2014: 85,420 motorcycle injuries
- 2015: 82,735 motorcycle injuries
- 2016: 98,108 motorcycle injuries
- 2017: 82,789 motorcycle injuries
- 2018: 77,336 motorcycle injuries
- 2019: 78,973 motorcycle injuries
- 2020: 75,008 motorcycle injuries
- 2021: 79,112 motorcycle injuries
- 2022: 77,591 motorcycle injuries
KXAN reviewed Austin’s Vision Zero data tracking serious injuries and fatalities locally. Within the past five years, serious injuries and fatalities involving motorcyclists peaked in 2022, with 95 incidents recorded out of 657 total crashes.
Serious injuries and fatalities impacting motorcyclists was the third-highest travel mode involved in crashes, behind motorists and pedestrians.
