Quick summary: New research from Uplift Legal Funding reveals that South Dakota recorded a 76% surge in fatal motorcycle incidents between 2022 and 2023, standing out against a stable national baseline where total fatalities increased by less than 1%. The analysis of federal data also shows that motorcyclists account for 15.5% of all traffic deaths despite representing less than 1% of total vehicle miles travelled, with a significant proportion of these incidents occurring during summer weekends. These stark regional disparities carry critical implications for public policy and healthcare practice, demonstrating an urgent requirement for state authorities to deploy targeted infrastructure safety measures and regional initiatives to reduce preventable trauma and protect rider well being.
South Dakota recorded the highest percentage increase in fatal motorcycle incidents among US states between 2022 and 2023, rising 76% from 17 incidents – 30, according to new research by Uplift Legal Funding. The surge stands out against a relatively stable national picture, where total fatal motorcycle incidents edged up by less than 1%, from 6,388 in 2022–6,426 in 2023.
The analysis examined the most recent fatal motorcycle incident data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) across all 50 states.
States with the steepest increases
Rhode Island and Idaho follow South Dakota with notable rises. Rhode Island saw a 60% increase, with fatal incidents climbing from 10–16, peaking in July. Idaho ranked 3rd with a 48% increase, from 27–40 cases, with summer and fall accounting for the highest numbers.
Alaska and Tennessee round out the top 5, at 38% and 32% respectively. Alaska’s incidents rose from 8–11. Tennessee recorded an increase from 154–204, with September alone accounting for 51 incidents over the study period.
The full top 10 states by percentage increase are
- South Dakota: 17 (2022)–30 (2023), up 76% — 2-year total: 47
- Rhode Island: 10–16, up 60% — 2-year total: 26
- Idaho: 27–40, up 48% — 2-year total: 67
- Alaska: 8–11, up 38% — 2-year total: 19
- Tennessee: 154–204, up 32% — 2-year total: 358
- Vermont: 14–18, up 29% — 2-year total: 32
- Wisconsin: 86–109, up 27%, with August being most dangerous month. — 2-year total: 195
- Iowa: 54–64, up 19% — 2-year total: 118
- New Hampshire: 33–39, up 18% — 2-year total: 72
- Ohio: 217–244, up 12% — 2-year total: 461
States recording the largest declines
Maine recorded the largest decrease at 52%, with incidents falling from 33–16, and the highest numbers in May and June. Wyoming and Delaware also posted strong declines, at 38% and 33% respectively, with August and September as peak months in both states.
The 5 states with the largest percentage decreases are
- Maine: 33–16, down 52% — 2-year total: 49
- Wyoming: 21–13, down 38% — 2-year total: 34
- Delaware: 21–14, down 33% — 2-year total: 35
- Oregon: 101–69, down 32% — 2-year total: 170
- North Dakota: 21–15, down 29% — 2-year total: 36
High-volume states and national patterns
Florida, California, and Texas recorded the highest raw totals. Florida led with 679 incidents in 2023, representing 10.6% of the national total, followed by Texas at 609 (9.5%), and California at 598 (9.3%).
Summer and early fall proved particularly dangerous nationwide, with 4,596 incidents recorded between 2022 and 2023. According to UC Berkeley’s SafeTREC, over 41% of fatal motorcycle crashes in 2023 occurred on weekends. Motorcyclists made up 15.5% of all traffic deaths despite comprising only 3.3% of registered vehicles and 0.6% of vehicle miles travelled.
“The dramatic increases in states like South Dakota are concerning,” said Jared Stern, Founder of Uplift Legal Funding. “When motorcycle incidents rise so sharply in a single year, it suggests there may be specific factors at play, such as changes in climate conditions or differences in state safety initiatives. Weekend riding is extremely popular among motorcyclists, but data suggests it’s also the most dangerous time. The total number of motorcycle incidents across the nation remained stable with just a 1% increase year over year, but these swings in individual states highlight local trends that are crucial for developing targeted safety measures. The disparity we see in the data highlights that while national initiatives work, individual states need to address local factors and infrastructure.”