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Motorcycle safety in the US: Where are we?

Motorcycle safety in the US: Where are we?. National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators, Annual conference August 25, 2012. Eric R. Teoh, Senior Statistician. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Nonprofit, independent research and communications organization

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Motorcycle safety in the US: Where are we?

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  1. Motorcycle safety in the US: Where are we? • National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators, Annual conferenceAugust 25, 2012 • Eric R. Teoh, Senior Statistician

  2. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Nonprofit, independent research and communications organization Mission to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce property damage in crashes Research goal to determine what works and what doesn’t to improve highway safety Funded by automobile insurance companies

  3. Haddon matrix

  4. Deaths of motorcyclists and passenger vehicle occupants in the United States 1975-2010

  5. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles registered in the United States 1975-2010

  6. Motorcycle crashes and resulting injury Risk factors Motorcycles largely lack the ability to protect their occupants from crash forces • Lack of safety cage, restraints, airbags, crumple zones, etc. • Transfers the burden of self protection to the riders Motorcycles lack conspicuity relative to other types of vehicles Motorcyclists, like other drivers, often take unnecessary risks • Alcohol, speeding, lack of protective gear, distraction • Varies by age, motorcycle type, and other factors Motorcycle braking is more complicated than for most other types of vehicles

  7. Motorcyclist self protection Helmets and other protective gear Helmets and laws requiring them are the most effective countermeasures • Helmets are 37 percent effective at preventing crash deaths • Fifty-eight percent of motorcyclists killed in crashes in 2010 were helmeted. Had they all been helmeted, 706 would have survived • In states with laws covering all riders, helmet use is virtually 100 percent and death rates are reduced Other forms of protective gear designed for motorcyclists include boots, gloves, pants, jackets, and eye protection • Research on their effectiveness is less developed than that on helmets, largely due to lack of data on their use

  8. States with universal helmet laws 1976: Highway Safety Act removed authority to withhold funds from states without helmet laws 1995: Grants removed 1991: Incentive grants for helmet and safety belt laws 1967: Helmet laws required for states to qualify for federal highway funds

  9. Motorcyclist self protection Role of the vehicle Motorcycle frontal airbag by Honda • Gold Wing airbag looks good in crash tests • Not studied in real-world crashes yet • One upcoming model (VFR 1200T) rumored to include airbag and crumple zone to improve rider interaction with airbag Other crashworthiness issues • Padding or breakaway components • Crash bars • Rider kinematics

  10. Motorcycle conspicuity Problem and countermeasures Motorcycles are harder to see than other types of vehicles • Smaller profile, often a single headlight • Rider often dressed in dark colors Daytime use of headlights associated with reduced crash risk Advanced crash avoidance technologies on passenger vehicles may help • Forward collision warning, blind spot detection, lane change warning, lane departure warning, etc. • Need to be able to detect a motorcycle

  11. Motorcyclist deaths By age, 1975-2010

  12. Motorcycle driver deaths per registered vehicle year Relative to cruiser/standard motorcycles, 2000, 2003-08

  13. Characteristics (percent) of fatally injured motorcycle drivers 2000, 2003-08

  14. Motorcycle braking More complicated than automobile braking • Separate brake controls (typically) • Locking a wheel in hard braking results in loss of stability Improper braking is a common crash factor • Locked wheel • Inadequate braking • Non-use of front brake

  15. Test track performance Average braking deceleration (m/s2) novices experienced riders

  16. Fatal crash rates Fatal crashes per 10,000 registrations, 2003-08 37% reduction * * statistically significant at 0.05 level

  17. Collision insurance losses Percent change in collision losses for motorcycles with ABS, 2003-12 models significant not significant

  18. Effect of ABS on collision claim rate By amount of time the motorcycle has been insured, 2006-10 models

  19. Rider training No demonstrated reduction in crash risk • Why? • Courses evolving • Still important Filtering potential new riders? Opportunities • Encourage use of DOT-compliant helmets • ABS

  20. Conclusions Progress in motorcycle safety hasn’t kept pace with that of passenger vehicles Helmet laws are an important first step Vehicle improvements • Conspicuity, occupant protection, ABS, technology Data needs No single solution

  21. www.iihs.org

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