Motorcycle accidents were the leading non-combat cause of death for US service members. Between 1999 and 2012 4,423 died in combined motor vehicle deaths including motorcycles. Of those 1,134 died in motorcycle crashes. Between 2001 and 2008, the portion of fatalities from motorcycles tripled, and by 2008 was almost 40% of overall vehicle fatalities. Motorcycle deaths have come under increased attention because other types of non-motorcycle fatalities have decreased, so motorcycle fatalities became an increased share of deaths. The fatalities echoed the national statistics with motorcycle fatalities of 4,927 deaths being 15 percent of all traffic deaths in 2012, even though motorcycles are three percent of vehicles. However, they account for a relatively smaller amount of the total miles traveled (motorcycles are often only driven in good weather) about 0.7% of all vehicles miles traveled 2012. (About half a million people to a million people would die each year if cars had a similar accident rate, all else being equal.)