In this report the accident situation of motorcycles in Germany is analysed. Motorcycles as defined in this report contain all two-wheeled motorcycles with registration plates. Three- and “heavy” four-wheeled motorcycles have not been included in the motorcycle group for the purposes of this report. Key figures such as the number and severity of accidents and the number of persons involved in an accident are presented over the period from 2008 to 2017. Furthermore, parameters relating to the persons involved are calculated for this period where possible. In the period from 2008 to 2017 around 28,000 motorcycle accidents involving personal injury occurred on average each year. 90% of the persons involved in the accidents were motorcycle users. While the number of motorcyclists killed has decreased since 2008 by 11% to 579 in 2017, the number of seriously injured motorcyclists has risen slightly by 1% to 9,555. The number of motorcyclists involved in accidents resulting in personal injury decreased by 6% between 2008 and 2017. Apart from these decreases in total figures, there has also been a considerable decrease in key parameters which relate the accident figures to the number of motorcycles in traffic, driving licences or mileage. For example, the mileage-related risk of being involved as a motorcyclist in an accident with personal injury decreased by 19% from 2008 to 2017. In contrast, the severity of motorcycle accidents involving personal injury has shown a slight upward trend in the same period. An increase from 321 to 346 seriously injured motorcycle users per 1,000 injury accidents was observed from 2008 to 2017. On the other hand, the number of fatally injured motorcycle users per 1,000 injury accidents has hardly change at all in this period of time. On average, 22 motorcycle users are killed per 1,000 injury accidents every year. A detailed examination of the motorcycles involved in the accident and their drivers shows that there is a trend towards more powerful motorcycles. Although these machines do not show an increased accident involvement, the severity of injuries to drivers on more powerful motorcycles is always significantly higher than on less powerful motorcycles. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting