I've had people telling how "Dangerous" motorcycles are and I found these
stats interesting.
http://www.bikersrights.com/statistics/stats.html
http://www.magpie.com/nycmoto/hurt.html
Findings from the Hurt Study
Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures
A motorcycle accident study offers you and your students a wealth of
information about accidents and how to avoid them. The Motorcycle Accident
Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, is a study conducted by
the University of Southern California (USC). With funds from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researcher Harry Hurt investigated
almost every aspect of 900 motorcycle accidents in the Los Angeles area.
Additionally, Hurt and his staff analyzed 3,600 motorcycle traffic accident
reports in the same geographic area.
Reprinted here for your information and use are the findings.
The final report is several hundred pages. If you choose to have this
document in your resource library, the order information is:
Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures,
Volume 1: Technical Report, Hurt, H.H., Ouellet, J.V. and Thom, D.R.,
Traffic Safety Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles,
California 90007, Contract No. DOT HS-5-01160, January 1981 (Final Report)
This document is available through:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
(703)-487-4600
Vol.I (The Main Report and Summary) is PB81206443 (~400 pages)
Vol.II (Appendix: Supplementary Data) is PB81206450 (~400 pages)
Either document is $42.95 plus $3.00 shipping. (circa 1990)
Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures
Findings
Throughout the accident and exposure data there are special observations
which relate to accident and injury causation and characteristics of the
motorcycle accidents studied. These findings are summarized as follows:
1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved
collision with another vehicle, which was most often a passenger automobile.
2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single
vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or
some fixed object in the environment.
3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle accidents,
and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control was lost due
to a puncture flat.
4. In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the
accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the
typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide
on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
5. Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident cause
in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.
6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated
the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those
accidents.
7. The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic
is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other
vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle
before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid
the collision.
8. Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider is a
rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is the
motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in
front of the oncoming motorcycle.
10. Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident,
with the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often
violating traffic controls.
11. Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.
12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping,
errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to
happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.
13. The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the accident
is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost half of the
multiple vehicle accidents.
14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple
vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the
use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high
visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.
15. Fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62% of the motorcycle
accidents in the post-crash phase. This represents an undue hazard for fire.
16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was
21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.
17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard
portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than
three-fourths of all accident hazards are within 45deg of either side of
straight ahead.
18. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical for the frontal surfaces
of the motorcycle and rider.
19. Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely to be
due to deficient or defective maintenance.
20. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly
overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30 and
50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority of the
accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female motorcycles
riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.
22. Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the accident-involved
motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are
underrepresented and laborers, students and unemployed are overrepresented
in the accidents.
23. Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents
are overrepresented in the accident data.
24. The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without
training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle
rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to
reduced injuries in the event of accidents.
25. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than
5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street
riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike
experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.
26. Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the
motorcyclist in an accident.
27. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.
28. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision
avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel, and
underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance
deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.
29. The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less than 2
seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.
30. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the accident
area.
31. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the
motorcycle are not distinguished from other accident populations except that
the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these drivers
are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.
32. Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents but
they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in accidents.
33. Any effect of motorcycle color on accident involvement is not
determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because
the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle involved
in the collision.
34. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are underrepresented
in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity and the
association with more experienced and trained riders.
35. Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without
motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.
36. Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the semi-chopper
or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.
37. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle
accidents-98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single
vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider;
45% resulted in more than a minor injury.
38. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot,
lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.
39. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction of
injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the
thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.
40. The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing
or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely severe
injuries.
41. Groin injuries were sustained by the motorcyclist in at least 13% of the
accidents, which typified by multiple vehicle collision in frontal impact at
higher than average speed.
42. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle
size.
43. Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used no
eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes
contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.
44. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety
helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing
helmets at the time of the accident.
45. Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle riders
was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on hot days
and short trips.
46. The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the
chest and head.
47. The use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the
prevention of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies
with FMVSS 218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure.
48. Safety helmet use caused no attenuation of critical traffic sounds, no
limitation of precrash visual field, and no fatigue or loss of attention; no
element of accident causation was related to helmet use.
49. FMVSS 218 provides a high level of protection in traffic accidents, and
needs modification only to increase coverage at the back of the head and
demonstrate impact protection of the front of full facial coverage helmets,
and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the standard.
50. Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and neck
injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.
51. The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases
protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.
52. There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet;
helmeted riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only four
minor injuries were attributable to helmet use, and in each case the helmet
prevented possible critical or fatal head injury.
53. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at
the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets
because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had no
expectation of accident involvement.
54. Valid motorcycle exposure data can be obtained only from collection at
the traffic site. Motor vehicle or driver license data presents information
which is completely unrelated to actual use.
55. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had
insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.
NYC Motorcyclists
Edited 9/19/97, Steve Manes, Manes Associates
On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 10:28:30 -0800, "Clan MacKay"
>53. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at
>the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets
>because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had no
>expectation of accident involvement.
Years ago, before there was a helmet law here in California, I would
very often see bikers riding with their helmet on the peg or bungeed
to the back of the bike. I heard a safety expert being interviewed on
the radio once who said that in about half of serious motorcycle head
injuries in California the rider had a helmet -on the bike- but was
not wearing it. When asked why they weren't wearing their helmet, the
most common response was that they weren't expecting to have an
accident that day. 8^)
>55. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had
>insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.
Obviously this data is several years old. Most states (maybe -all-
states) require some level of liability insurance today. Here in
California (& presumably other places) you need proof of insurance to
renew your vehicle registration. Still, somehow, between 1/4 and 1/3
of drivers in this state are uninsured!
Also, apparently this study was too long ago to address the 'loud
pipes save lives' controversy. I've heard (and I believe) that loud
pipes don't help with conspicuity -in front of- the bike, which is
where you need it.
This study was done decades ago. It's very valuable, as evidenced by
the fact that it's so often quoted and referred to on these forums.
But I wish this kind of study was repeated every few years to take
into account changes in the riding population and in the bikes
themselves. I'm guessing riders today are a wider range of society,
including a large cohort of middle-aged men on their first bikes
(midlife crisis?) and more women riding. Cruisers are much more
popular than a few years ago and sport-bikes are much more
sophisticated and capable. Almost all bikes have MUCH more power than
they did 10 years ago, also better brakes, and they are quieter. I'd
guess tires are a lot better, especially in the rain. Helmets are
better, clothes and gear are much better, and I would also guess that
a larger percentage of bikers are getting some formal training. How
is this affecting safety?
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>the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets
>because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had no
>expectation of accident involvement.