How much safer are cars than motorcycles, really?

Question

People always talk about how dangerous it is to own a motorcycle. That people can't see you, they're too fast, they don't respond as quickly, etc.... But everyone I've talked to that has been riding for awhile normally says that they find motorcycles safer than cars, despite the reasons above. I've been researching motorcycle accidents a little and I've come to the conclusion that most accidents involving motorcycles happen on freeways and include the driver doing something idiotic (wheelies, speeding, etc...). Now my question is, if you ride a motorcycle responsibly (not acting like a show-off) and avoid freeways, are cars really that much safer than bikes?

Answer 1

It’s a huge explanation, but it is pretty obvious…  the only people who ever were dumb enough to tell me that motorcycles are safer than cars, were 5.

3 of them were killed, and 2 have permanent physical damage!

However, if you drive carefully… you’d be in a lot less risk, but you’d still be running a lot more risk than in a car. Trust me! Be careful!

Answer 2

It's a yes for cases like here in Penang, Malaysia. With the uprising amount of cars on the road, motorcycles are actually facing a greater threat on most roads (even on countryside roads) as now the car drivers are the road menace here. The highest amount of road users fatalities involve motorcyclists. It's much higher than even pedestrians!

Answer 3

It is intuitively obvious to even the most casual observer that motorcycles are more dangerous than cars.

A collision that gives a car driver minor injuries such as scratches or bruises would send a motorcyclist to the hospital or morgue.

It only gets worse from there for aggressive motorcyclists. I like the phrase that there are old riders and there are bold riders, but there are no old bold riders.

Answer 4

Yes, being in a car provides better survivability in case of a crash.

Answer 5

Like any machine there is an element of risk in using them.

It is not whether the machine itself is inherantly dangerous but the environment and the way that it is used that makes it so.

Cars can be dangerous if inexperienced drivers drive at perfomance levels in conditions way beyond their skills likewise motorcycles can be missused.

Cars have the added safety of crumple zones and crash bracing , motorcycle s dont.

Car drivers are usually inattentive and do not look out for bikes, bikes on the other hand can lane split and weave in and out of traffic which make them vulnerable.

All riders need to ride to survive so they can survive to ride.

Answer 6

80% because in cars whether weather are inhospitable or there is wind you can close the windshield etc and on bikes there are no windshield. so cars are safer