According to statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, motorcycle drivers may be more likely to drink and drive than people who drive cars or trucks. In 2009, the most recent year in which data is available, 11 percent of motorcyclists involved in Pennsylvania motor vehicle accidents had been drinking prior to the crash. In comparison, approximately 7 percent of people driving cars, trucks and other types of vehicles were intoxicated.

The year 2009 marked the 14th consecutive year in which researchers found that motorcyclists were more likely to have consumed alcohol prior to a crash than other drivers. According to a PennDOT spokeswoman, drunk driving offenses are especially common among older motorcyclists riding cruiser bikes.

In 2010, 223 motorcyclists died on Pennsylvania roads. In comparison, only 204 died in 2009. Safety advocates find this increase troubling, especially because of Life Free Ride Alive, the motorcycle safety awareness program that was implemented last year by PennDOT. However, the PennDOT spokeswoman said that it is typical for several years to pass before new programs such as these positively impact the number of accidents and fatalities.

Live Free Ride Alive focuses on motorcycle drunk driving, but it also stresses the importance of car and truck driver awareness and of sharing the road with motorcyclists. In the spring when motorcyclists begin to return to the road en masse, too many drivers do not actively watch out for them. This, in combination with the 2003 repeal of a state helmet law, leads to avoidable motorcycle fatalities, program representatives say.

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Motorcyclists still drinking at higher rate in Pennsylvania", Rachel Weaver, 4 April 2011