Our mission is to develop, promote and coordinate traffic safety initiatives designed to reduce traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities on Utah’s road ways. Motorcycle safety is a top priority.
The number of registered motorcycles in Utah has almost doubled from 43,271 in 2005 to 84,822 in 2021. Less than 3% of Utah’s registered vehicles are motorcycles, yet motorcyclists accounted for 18% of deaths. In fact, motorcycle crashes were 13 times more likely to result in a death than other crashes. Sadly, 41 people lost their lives in a motorcycle-related crash and 1,090 people were injured during 2021.
The Highway Safety Office is utilizing various strategies and countermeasures identified as effective by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to improve motorcycle safety. The most important objectives for improving motorcycle safety are to increase helmet use, reduce alcohol-impaired motorcycle riding, increase proper licensing and promote lifelong learning through the completion of riding training courses. Another objective is to increase other drivers’ awareness of motorcycles by increasing motorcyclists’ visibility and by educating other drivers of the importance of sharing the road with motorcycles.
We hope riders and drivers alike will join us in our efforts to increase motorcycle safety in Utah.