Motorcycles would seem at first glance to be a great way to deal
with shrinking supplies of gasoline (many get 70 miles per
gallon). But, how dangerous are motorcycles? According to the
evidence, very dangerous. The overall death rate in 2004 from
motor vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) is 1.46 deaths
per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, compared to 38.93 deaths
per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (in 2003 when the
fatality rate was about 8% lower than in 2004 for motorcycles).
Thus, in 2004, it is about 28 times as likely per vehicle mile
that you will die on a motorcycle as it is that you will die in
a car or truck. This was a total of 4,008 motor vehicle deaths
in 2004. The year 2004 experienced seventh consecutive increase
in a row, bringing the total to the highest levels since 1987,
the low point was 1997, when fatalities were half of common as
they were ten years earlier. In contrast, overall vehicle
fatality rates have deceased steadily since 1988. About 9.4% of
motor vehicle fatalities