Lies, damn lies and statistics

Figures don't lie even though liars often figure, but if the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration figures aren't lying, we riders are an endangered lot.

According to NHTSA's deciphering of fatality rates and figures for motorcyclists, we accounted for 14 percent of total traffic fatalities, 17 percent of all  fatalities, and 4 percent of all  injuries on the nation's roads.

The fatality rate for riders compared to cagers was six times higher in 2008. That's not surprising considering that the only crumple zones we have are on our bodies and we don't have airbags, except for some Gold Wings, although some bikes have gas bags that are definitely not safety items.

The figures also say that riders are more likely to be die when hitting a fixed object than drivers of other vehicles. Again, that makes sense considering the only safety devices we have are our reflexes and ability to turn, swerve, stop and go.

The problem is that, in 2008, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes slammed into immovable objects.

There's no real reason to hit a non-moving object, being as the object is not moving so you should be able to see and avoid it. Perhaps there were avoidance maneuvers that led to smashes into stationary objects, but still, the whole Search, Evaluate and Execute process seem set to preclude such crashes. That and  practice and, perhaps, additional training.

Unfortunately, 25 percent of riders in fatal crashes in 2008  were either unlicensed or had revoked licenses, compared to 12 percent of drivers of passenger vehicles in fatal crashes.

Not only were a quarter of us lacking a license when we died, more of us were drunk -- 29 percent -- than other dead drunk drivers, including  23 percent in passenger cars and light trucks and 2 percent for large trucks.

In 2008, 4 percent of riders involved in fatal crashes had previous convictions for DUI compared to 3 percent of passenger vehicle drivers.

Other information provided in the NHTSA report makes sense. Nearly half of all fatal crashes were between bikes and other vehicles and 77 percent of those happened when cars pulled out immediately in front of the bike.

Of  2,387 two-vehicle fatal wrecks, 41 percent involved vehicles making left turns in front of the rider. About 28 percent were while both were going straight and 7 percent were rear-enders.

Per vehicle mile traveled in 2007, motorcyclists were about 37 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 9 times more likely to be injured.

So what do you do?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety would have you give up fast bikes and, if truth be known, would just as soon have you give up bikes all together. NHTSA's only recommendation is to wear a helmet.

That is our's as well.

Of course, NHTSA is trying to push a nationwide helmet law.

We are not.

And, whle NHTSA steers clear of making other recommendations, we do not. Here's our advice:

• Take a safety course and get your license, if you don't have it already.
• Practice stopping, swerving and proper cornering technique -- slow, look, press and roll on the throttle -- whenever you ride.

Cruisin' along.

• Ride a lot.

• Take an experienced rider course.

• Ride some more.

• Find other courses that are available to increase  your skills, whether it's the Lee Parks Total Control course or a Keith Code course at one of Virginia's race tracks or even taking the bike to a track day and hooking up with some experienced NESBA people.

Tracks give you a chance to learn control in an environment sans Kias and Kenworths, so take advantage if  you're going to ride hard and fast.

• And for crying out loud, don't freakin' drink and ride. This is something you should know without thinking.

• Finally, yes, wear a helmet. They do make a difference. In states wear helmets are optional, the majority of deaths happened to helmetless riders.

Besides, in Jeffersonia, it's the law.