On October 5, 2009 the FHWA announced they will conduct a new study to better understand and prevent motorcycle crashes. It is the first major study in nearly 30 years and was made possible by SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) mandates.
Researchers will evaluate hundreds of motorcycle accidents to to identify common factors. The purpose, similar to the 1981 Hurt Study, will be to look for countermeasures that will prevent accidents and reduce injuries. (click here for summary of Hurt Study)
Under a federal grant, the Oklahoma State University (OSU), one of the ten National University Transportation Centers, will be leading the study.
Between 1997 and 2008, annual fatalities increased a 150 percent. In 2008 alone, deaths due to motorcycle crashes rose by an estimated 2.2 percent while all other vehicle classes saw reductions in fatalities.
The new study will use that same methodology, now known as “OECD.” Independent investigators are dispatched to motorcycle accidents in real time, so they can collect on-scene, in-depth data. About 2,000 variables are coded for each crash, including a full reconstruction of the accident, plus vehicle inspections, witness interviews and medical records for the injured riders and passengers. That information is then analyzed — to identify what human, environmental and vehicle factors contributed to the accident — and compared with two riders of similar age, experience and motorcycle type who were not involved in an accident but who traveled the same stretch of road at the same time of day.
The estimated time to complete the study is fall of 2013.
Based on my experience and training as a crash specialist, we are not expecting huge changes in the core countermeasures already identified in the Hurt Report. It will be interesting to note the differences that 30 years make.
6 responses so far ↓
kathy // 10/30/2009 at 6:48 pm
Depends on how the statistics are calculated. If they’re just looking at the increase in total crash deaths compared to other years the numbers will go up because there are more riders. If the numbers are based on percentages of the rider populations of the compared years, then the increase is significant.
I’ve read several articles that attribute the increase to older first time riders getting motorcycles in their mid-life crises instead of little red sports cars. Not sure I buy that argument though. There’s a lot more traffic congestion in urban areas and more powerful machines and a lot of young hot shots trying things they should never try on the highway.
It seems to me that the basic safety measures of regular machine maintenance, riding within your skills, limits and conditions, skills training, and watching and anticipating what other drivers may do will always be the primary means to avoiding lethal crashes.
Kevin Williams / Survival Skills Rider Training // 11/05/2009 at 7:34 am
Interesting.
A rider organisation in the UK has just done a study on near-misses
http://www.writetoride.co.uk/near_miss_survey.html
Can’t say I agree with all the methodology or conclusions but the idea was to try to understand why riders had near-misses rather than crashes, and to see if they could pull up any behavioural differences, or highlight any value in day running lights or other conspicuity aids.
@Kathy – good theory re lethal crashes, but 30 years of research over several different continents shows that the lethal crashes are nearly always single vehicle incidents where the bike runs off the road and the rider hits something hard, or misjudges an overtake.
Few junction accidents, the so-called Right of Way Voilations or SMIDSY (sorry mate, I didn’t see you) accidents, are fatal because they are usually urban and so low speed, and the brief warning the rider does get is enough to shed a bit more speed.
Whilst the overall figures for junction accidents are no excuse for not educating drivers to look for bikes, these accidents have been happening for 100 years, so the motorcyclist isn’t learning from the pattern either.
rubenandjoann // 11/05/2009 at 4:44 pm
Thanks for the link, I’ll check it out.
easyIsle // 11/07/2009 at 2:27 am
As a new (1st season) but above-average careful and educated motorcyclist, I simply cannot wait for more data. Data points are just that … and the more scientific data we have the more we can learn. I look forward to reading the entire study word by word!
As far as the death rate .. it really is something almost beyond our control. Why? In my opinion, it has to do with our growing population, the growing traffic on the road, and especially the fact a lot of new motorcyclists out there don’t care about proper protective clothing nor truly defensive riding. THAT is what kills them .. the perspective/view point … changing social and ethical values. Some riders are happily oblivious and apathetic to the data and advice. They are the % that are not doing well…. and they are growing as a population in the motorcycling hobby/sport.
Carla // 12/09/2009 at 5:43 am
Some riders believe if you can pass the motorcycle license test then you can ride. So many times I have seen what I believe are in-experienced riders paying more attention to other bikers then the road. The advent of mandatory motorcycle driver education came a bit late as many weekend warriors had already gotten their license.
Also, I personally believe “My Helmet My Choice” but these riders should carry enough insurance to pay their own medical bills in the event the worse should happen. Being a motorcyclist is powerful and so is being responsible.
P.S. I wear a Helmet and additional Insurance
Elaine Hardy // 12/14/2009 at 7:27 am
Kevin – Hi, thanks for your comments, although in reference to “or highlight any value in day running lights or other conspicuity aids”. That really wasn’t the purpose of the study. It was simply trying to understand why riders had near misses and in what circumstances. Wendy Moon gave an excellent review of the study I carried out. link –
http://wmoon.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/near-miss-accident-survey/
I guess what was important – to me at least – was to have an overview of the rider’s opinion. I hope I succeeded in doing that.
Regards fatalities of riders at junctions – there is an interesting study carried out by CARE (EU) which highlights the fact that 40% of all fatalities at junctions are car drivers followed by 26% of motorcyclists and moped riders. link http://www.erscharter.eu/it/resourcedocuments/9556