U.S. motorcycle deaths rose 10 percent in 2015, study shows

DETROIT – A study done for a highway safety group says U.S. motorcycle deaths spiked 10 percent last year, topping 5,000 for the first time since 2008.

The Governors Highway Safety Association study attributes the rise mainly to increased travel nationwide and better weather leading to a longer riding season in many states.

But study researchers say deaths could be cut by restoring mandatory motorcycle helmet laws in 32 states that don’t have them.

The study used state data to count 5,010 motorcycle deaths last year, up 450 from 2014. The increase is consistent with preliminary numbers from the government that show traffic deaths overall rising an estimated 8 percent last year after trending downward for the past decade.