Motorcycle crashes account for more than 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in the United States, despite representing only 0.6 percent of vehicle miles traveled on America’s roads. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) completed the Motorcycle Crash Causation Study (MCCS) in response to these statistics. The MCCS collected real-world motorcycle crash data in California. This is the most comprehensive investigation into the causes, rider demographics, and opportunities for countermeasure development to be conducted in the United States in more than 30 years. The dataset includes data from 351 motorcycle crash investigations and 702 control rider interviews.

Partners from Federal agencies, State departments of transportation, local police jurisdictions, and the motorcycle industry are supporting the effort with high expectations for its value in improving motorcycle safety.

Data collection for the MCCS is now complete, and a final report and study documentation are being reviewed and edited. The Final Report and Volumes 1 and 2 will be available in 2019. The draft version of documentation and data are available upon request.