The Top 10 Most Dangerous US Roads For Motorcyclists

Driving a motorcycle is an excellent way to travel and something millions of Americans enjoy every day. Despite the fact that motorcyclists make up only a small percentage of vehicles on the road, they are still involved in a number of fatal or near fatal accidents.

Today we are going to take a look at the top 10 most dangerous roads for motorcyclists, according to a recent study conducted by the Bendinelli Law Firm in Denver.

While we discuss these dangerous roads for motorcyclists, we’re also going to include some things you want to know if you’re looking to get into motorcycle riding and tips to keep you safe even if you have to travel on one of these dangerous roads.

Beginner Tips For Motorcyclists

We want everyone who drives a motorcycle to be safe on the road from the most experienced veteran drivers to those just starting out. We’ve put together these tips for beginner drivers, but they can also help veterans who maybe have forgotten some of the basics over the years while riding.

Understand The Bike You’re Picking

If you’ve never ridden a motorcycle at all, then you may not realize just how many types of motorcycles there are. Knowing what you’re buying or planning on riding is the first step to being safe. The difference in the bikes may seem minimal, but it is anything but. There are technically 8 types of bikes, but the 4 most common are standard motorcycles, sports bikes, touring bikes, and sport touring bikes. The other categories include crossbreeds, mopeds, and scooters, which for the most part aren’t good for traveling across the country or on major highways.

Standard bikes are what most people ride around on a daily basis. Sport bikes are lighter and faster, and touring bikes are larger and heavier. Each type of motorcycle has its own nuances that the rider has to learn such as handling and turning and not knowing these can put the rider in danger when out on the road.

Keep Your Bike Maintained

Whether you’re buying a new one or restoring a classic motorcycle, keeping your bike in good shape while it is being driven is more important than ever. Just like folks with cars get their tires and brakes checked on a regular basis, the same is true for motorcycle owners. There are a few major differences to owning a motorcycle to be aware of in terms of maintenance.

Firstly, there aren’t as many diagnostic elements to a motorcycle as there are in a car. You won’t have as many gauges and sensors telling you what’s going on with your bike so it’s important to check on it personally to make sure everything is in good shape. On a motorcycle even a slight issue is much more dangerous than in a car or truck.

Second, motorcycles are more exposed to the elements. If you can’t store your bike in a garage or some way that will protect it from the elements, then you’ll have to contend with the fact that it will be more susceptible to rust and damage over time. Keeping your bike in running condition will be a more intensive task because of this.

Lastly, understand that things can go wrong with your bike that you might not expect or be used to with a car or truck. Ask a mechanic for tips of things to look out for and stay on top of the condition of your bike so that you avoid any unnecessary problems.

Learn to Ride Correctly

If you’re new to motorcycles, you’ll quickly learn that just because it has two wheels and an engine it is not the same as other motor vehicles. How you ride, your positioning, and your ability to maintain balance while on your bike has a lot to do with how you control your bike, how it handles, and your safety while riding.

Two things to think about while riding is your ability to control the clutch and your comfort level while riding. Not being able to hit the clutch when needed can cause you to damage your transmission and potentially get into an accident. Riding in an uncomfortable or awkward position can slow your reaction time, not to mention leave you sore after even just a short ride.

Bonus Tip: Don’t dress like motorcycle riders from movies and TV. Any seasoned rider will tell you to dress for comfort and for the weather. Trying to dress in all leather or uncomfortable pants, especially when going on long rides will only lead to you being uncomfortable the entire time and will be an unpleasant experience.

Focus on Driving

Most bikes aren’t built for carrying multiple passengers, but you’ll still be tempted to get plenty distracted while on the road. Keep the cell phone put away and focus on the road while riding to make sure you don’t wind up in an accident. Being on a bike puts you at a higher risk already, adding distracted driving to that only increases those chances further.

Also, don’t try to do more than the bike is capable of. Trying to haul cargo or carry multiple people without the proper equipment or setup is just a bad idea that can damage your bike and increase your risk of accident or injury. If your bike can’t handle the extra load, simply don’t do it.

Practice, Then Practice Some More

When first starting out on a motorcycle, regardless of what kind, there’s going to be a learning curve. Setting out for a long drive or tackling the interstate before you are ready is just asking for trouble so get in some practice on local streets before you start seriously driving your bike around. Even if you’re an experienced driver of cars and trucks, driving a motorcycle is not the same so treat it like your first time out on the road and practice plenty.

If you just assume that having a license is good enough, you could quickly find yourself with a wrecked bike or in the hospital.

Top 10 Most Dangerous Roads For Motorcycle Drivers

Now that we’ve gone over some tips for beginners, it’s time to get into our list of the 10 Most Dangerous Roads For Motorcycle Drivers. For this post we are going to list the 10 most dangerous roads and then go over what we know from the study.

Florida: US Highway 1
Florida: US Highway 41
Florida: US Highway 19
Florida: Interstate 95
California: Interstate 5
Florida: US Highway 441
Florida: US Highway 27
California: US Highway 101
Florida: US Highway 17
Texas: Interstate 10

As readers can see, there is a striking trend among the 10 most dangerous roads for motorcycles. We’ll dive into what we know and what this means in terms of road safety for motorcycle drivers.

What We Learned

While we don’t have enough data to determine all the factors behind the number of motorcycle crashes and fatalities on these roads, what we do know is that Florida highways have a disproportionate number of motorcycle crashes and fatalities, taking 7 out of the top 10 spots. In fact, the #1 spot is the deadliest road in the state of Florida for crashes and 25% of those crashes are motorcycle related.

What we do know is that Florida has more motorcyclists than any other state besides California, but with a much lower overall population. This leads to a higher density of motorcycles on Florida roads as those that own motorcycles tend to use them regularly for long and short trips. Additionally, several of the roads on the list are coastal highways, often used for bike tours and cruising, which could be a cause of increased traffic volume and thus increased potential for accidents.

Motorcycles are at a logical disadvantage against larger vehicles on major highways and the more motorcycle riders on the roads, the higher the chances of a fatal accident. Learning how to avoid these accidents can go a long way to lowering the number of crashes and most importantly, fatalities.

Tips For Avoiding an Accident on Dangerous Roads

Now that we know a bit more about the top 10 most dangerous US roads for motorcycles, we’re going to discuss ways to stay safe even on dangerous roads.

Stay Alert and Be Defensive

Motorcycles have less safety features and are smaller vehicles so it’s important that drivers are constantly alert and aware of their surroundings. Figure out where your exits are, avoid major roads when possible and always keep an eye out for other vehicles. The best thing a motorcycle driver can do to protect themselves is to drive safely. We can’t control what other people do while on the road, but we can make sure that we drive safely.

If you feel like traffic is too dense or you don’t have the room to maneuver safely, switch to the slow lane and stay out of the way of larger vehicles like big trucks. These vehicles are especially dangerous due to their size and the number of blind spots they have. Give big trucks a wide berth and give yourself plenty of space and time to get out of the way wherever possible.

Driving defensively on major highways will help reduce your risk of an accident. Pay attention to other drivers when possible. If you notice someone driving erratically, try to back away and avoid getting in their way. Sometimes it’s better to get out of traffic or pull over than stay on the road with someone driving dangerously. A negligent driver is one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents, even no contact accidents where a motorcycle driver has to lay down their bike to avoid a collision with a distracted driver.

Motorcycle riders have no real protection from an impact so the best way to avoid injury or death is to do whatever is necessary to avoid a collision, even if it means laying down the bike.

Be Extra Cautious When Driving in Bad Weather

Because motorcycles are lighter, they are more difficult to control at high speeds. When you add in slick roads due to rain or ice, this can spell disaster. If you can’t avoid driving in bad weather conditions, then it’s a good idea to take your time and be even more conscious.

Most bikes can skid more easily in bad weather and are more susceptible to things like wind and hail as well. Outfitting your bike with rain protection and the appropriate tires can help, but putting a lot of strain on your bike and your brakes to maintain stability in poor weather conditions.

Avoid the Major Roads

One final tip to keep you safe when riding your motorcycle is to avoid the major highways and interstates whenever possible. It can be thrilling to travel down the highway at high speeds, but sometimes it’s better to take the scenic route with less traffic and arrive safely than to take the faster route that uses a major highway or interstate.

Plan out your trip and if you have to take a major highway or interstate, try to do so during non-peak traffic hours. This will ensure a smoother trip and fewer chances for an accident. Most map systems have side roads and alternative routes to get around heavily congested areas and major highways, so if you’re going on a long trip, plan the route that keeps you safe rather than choosing the fastest route.

Final Thoughts

There you have it. Our list of the top 10 most dangerous US roads for motorcyclists along with a guide for beginning riders and some tips to stay safe on those dangerous roads. We hope the information in this study and the tips we have provided here today will help keep you safe while riding your motorcycle. A little knowledge and the right preparation can make sure that you enjoy many more rides and get many more miles out of your motorcycle.

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