Missouri Ranks #9 Nationally for Senior Motorcycle Crash Rate, Crashes Up 57.8%

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

•  Missouri ranks #9 nationally for senior motorcycle crashes with 187.04 per million residents aged 65+.

• Senior motorcycle crashes in Missouri surged 57.8%, soaring from 161 in 2020 to 254 in 2024.

• Missouri recorded the largest absolute jump nationwide, adding 93 more senior crashes from 2020 to 2024.

(STL.News) Missouri ranks as the ninth-deadliest state in America for motorcyclists aged 65 and older, and the problem is accelerating faster here than almost anywhere else. Senior motorcycle crashes surged 57.8% over five years, the second-steepest percentage rise nationally and the largest absolute jump of any state at +93 crashes.

 An analysis by Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas examined the NHTSA CDAN database and U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for residents aged 65 and older across all 50 states from 2020 to 2024. Crash counts were averaged over five years and normalized against each state’s senior population to produce a rate per million residents.

 Missouri’s Senior Motorcycle Crash Trend (2020–2024)

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 Senior motorcycle crashes involving Missouri riders aged 65+ surged from 161 in 2020 to a five-year high of 254 in 2024, a 57.8% increase and the largest absolute jump of any state nationwide. The per capita rate climbed from 145.34 to 229.29 per million over the same period, a 57.8% rise. After a brief dip to 209 in 2023, crashes spiked 21.5% in 2024, signaling that the upward trajectory is not only intact but accelerating.

 Looking at the study, Ramzy Ladah, Founder & CEO of Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, Las Vegas, commented,

 “Missouri’s 57.8% surge in senior motorcycle crashes is the most alarming growth trend we found in the entire study. Adding 93 more crashes in just five years shows a crisis that is rapidly intensifying. Missouri needs immediate investment in rider safety education, road improvements, and public awareness campaigns specifically designed to protect its growing population of older motorcyclists.”

 Missouri vs. Bordering States: Senior Motorcycle Crash Rate Comparison

 Missouri’s senior motorcycle crash rate of 187.04 per million ranks fifth among its eight bordering states, with Arkansas at 225.47, Oklahoma at 217.88, Kentucky at 209.94, and Tennessee at 198.56 all recording higher rates. Four of Missouri’s neighbors rank in the national top six, making this border region one of the most dangerous in the country for older riders. The gap between the highest-ranked neighbor, Arkansas, and the lowest, Illinois at 110.62, is a striking 103.8%, illustrating dramatic variation even within a single state’s border zone.

 Top 10 Deadliest States for Older Motorcyclists Nationally, Ranked by Crash Rate Per Million 65+ Residents

 Missouri holds the #9 position nationally with a rate of 187.04 per million, 1.3% above 10th-ranked North Dakota at 184.56 and 2.6% below eighth-ranked South Carolina at 191.90. Missouri records the second-highest average raw crash count on this entire list at 207.2 per year, behind only Tennessee at 239.6. Three of Missouri’s direct neighbors, Arkansas at #3, Oklahoma at #4, and Kentucky at #5, hold even higher positions, placing Missouri at the center of a national hot zone.

 Missouri vs. States With Similar Senior Populations (1M–1.3M Residents Aged 65+)

 Among states with senior populations between 1 million and 1.3 million, Missouri’s crash rate of 187.04 ranks second behind Tennessee at 198.56. Missouri’s rate is 2.7 times higher than Massachusetts’s 68.57 at the bottom of this group. Massachusetts, with a comparable 65+ population of 1,248,388, averages just 85.6 senior motorcycle crashes per year compared to Missouri’s 207.2, a 2.4-to-1 gap in raw volume that underscores how dramatically outcomes differ across states of similar size.

 Top 10 States With the Steepest Rise in Senior Motorcycle Crashes (2020 vs. 2024)

 Missouri recorded the largest absolute increase in senior motorcycle crashes of any state, adding 93 more crashes from 161 in 2020 to 254 in 2024. Its percentage increase of 57.8% ranks second nationally, trailing only Mississippi’s 72.3%. North Carolina, the only other state with a comparable absolute jump of +91, has a senior population 67% larger than Missouri’s, making Missouri’s surge even more dramatic on a per-capita basis.

 Methodology

 This analysis examined motorcycle crash data involving riders aged 65 and older from NHTSA’s CDAN database for the period 2020 to 2024, covering all 50 U.S. states. A five-year average of senior motorcycle crashes was calculated for each state and normalized against U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for residents aged 65 and older to produce a rate per million senior residents. States were then ranked by this rate to identify where older motorcyclists face the greatest risk.

 Data Sources 

• NHTSA CDAN Database: https://cdan.dot.gov/query
• U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates: https://data.census.gov/table?q=population+by+age+by+state
• Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E-JXnObWB5kaI5bIBQkT8GS1_o3776vI7F8hxjkEzKc/edit?gid=0#gid=0
• Research by: https://www.ladahlaw.com/

 About Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas

 The study was conducted by Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas, a Nevada-based law firm representing victims of car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. Founded by Ramzy Ladah, the firm helps injured clients navigate complex insurance claims and legal battles to secure the compensation and justice they deserve.

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