A Guide for Addressing Collisions Involving Motorcycles (2008) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 16-131
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From page 16... ...
Considering the needs of motorcyclists during the planning and construction of roadways can reduce the likelihood of motorcycle crashes. Creating a motorcycle-friendly environment goes beyond providing a gentle alignment, but also includes keeping the roadway free of foreign debris, providing a safe roadside free of objects or obstacles to motorcyclists, maintaining safe roadway surfaces during maintenance projects, and providing sufficient warning devices to motorcyclists prior to encountering potentially dangerous zones.
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From page 17... ...
Increasing the use of effective FMVSS 218 compliant helmets is universally accepted as a key motorcycle safety goal. Two approaches to work toward achieving an increase in the use of FMVSS 218 compliant helmets include: campaigns to promote helmet use and universal helmet laws.
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From page 18... ...
11.1 A7 Provide advance warning signs to alert motorcyclists of reduced traction and irregular roadway surfaces (T) 11.1 A8 Incorporate motorcycle safety considerations into routine roadway inspections (E)
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From page 19... ...
11.1 H Improve motorcycle safety 11.1 H1 Develop and implement standardized data gathering and research, data and analysis reporting for motorcycle crashes (N/A) 11.1 H2 Include motorcycle attributes in vehicle exposure data collection programs (N/A)
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From page 20... ...
It is thus appropriate that this guide provide objectives that are far-reaching and that encompass many areas of expertise. Meaningful progress toward accomplishing the above objectives will be achieved when all stakeholders -- licensing officials, roadway users, motorcycle riders, roadway designers, law enforcement, and legislators -- take responsibility for implementing those strategies within their area of responsibility.
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From page 21... ...
While the types of strategies that are included here are often thought of as simply support services, they can be critical to the success of a comprehensive highway safety program. Therefore, it is beneficial for a comprehensive motorcycle safety effort to include a critical review of the emergency medical and trauma system services to determine if there are improvements that can be made, especially for programs which are focused on locationspecific (e.g., corridors)
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From page 22... ...
To achieve the desired safety improvements, highway agencies may find it helpful to consider whether their design policies for new or reconstructed roadways -- including the shoulder width and type of shoulder to be used -- take into consideration motorcycle safety.
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From page 23... ...
Since many highway agencies have not yet adopted an organizational motorcycle safety philosophy, highway agency personnel need to be trained to identify locations where the lack of a full paved shoulder may be problematic for motorcycles. Information on Agencies or Organizations Currently Implementing This Strategy The state of Iowa has conducted a study to evaluate the costs and benefits associated with paved shoulders on primary highways in the state.
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From page 24... ...
Appropriate locations for their application include sites with high motorcycle traffic volumes, high motorcycle accident rates, and locations where current roadside barriers are deemed problematic for motorcyclists. The W-beam guide rail, as the name suggests, consists of a "W" shaped rail supported by posts incrementally spaced to provide sufficient strength to withstand collisions.
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From page 25... ...
However, quite clearly there are many, frequent situations where roadside barriers are necessary to provide overall system safety. Given that historically the basis for roadside appurtenance design uses larger vehicles and does not directly consider motorcycle impacts, the safety effectiveness of motorcyclefriendly roadside barriers is largely unknown.
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From page 26... ...
Appropriate Measures Key process measures include the number of locations where insufficient or and Data dangerous roadside barriers have been replaced with motorcycle-friendly barriers, and the severity of accidents reduced by the improvement. Crash frequency and severity, by type of crash, are key safety effectiveness measures.
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From page 27... ...
SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES V-12 EXHIBIT V-5 (Continued) Strategy Attributes for Considering Motorcycles in the Selection of Roadside Barriers Costs Involved The costs involved in this strategy are all related to the identification of harmful locations and the engineering and installation of new roadside barriers.
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From page 28... ...
Highway agencies may want to first target high-crash locations and routes with high motorcycle volumes. EXHIBIT V-6 Strategy Attributes for Identifying Pavement Markings, Surface Materials, and Other Treatments That Reduce Traction for Motorcycles and Treating or Replacing with High-Traction Material Technical Attributes Target The strategy is targeted to reduce the frequency of collisions resulting from motorcyclists losing control while traversing pavement markings, surface treatments, manhole covers, or raised pavement markers that present an obstacle or provide inadequate surface friction.
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From page 29... ...
Appropriate Measures Key process measures include the number of locations where raised or slick and Data pavement markings or surface treatments have been replaced with low-profile, high-traction material and treatments, and the number of accidents eliminated by the improvement. Crash frequency and severity, by type of crash, are key safety effectiveness measures.
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From page 30... ...
has listed "maintaining roadway surfaces" as an essential proposal. Common surface irregularities that are especially problematic for motorcycle users include potholes, tire rutting, surface drop-offs or rises, manhole covers, deteriorating pavement and railroad grade crossings that are worn or cross the roadway at a shallow angle.
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From page 31... ...
. • Tire Ruts -- It is not uncommon, especially on freeways, for tire ruts to be present on the roadway surface due to heavy truck traffic; however, a motorcyclist can have a particularly difficult time maneuvering in and out of the ruts without over-steering or over-correcting in the process.
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From page 32... ...
Further research should be conducted to develop thresholds that can be incorporated into design criteria. Highway agencies should regularly and systematically inspect all roadway surfaces for irregularities and discontinuities that potentially pose a safety problem for motorcyclists.
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From page 33... ...
Crash frequency and severity, by type of crash, are key safety effectiveness measures. It is especially important to identify crashes related to surface irregularities and analyze them separately.
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From page 34... ...
V-19 EXHIBIT V-11 (Continued) Strategy Attributes for Maintaining the Roadway to Minimize Surface Irregularities and Discontinuities Highway maintenance agencies will need to reflect needs of motorcyclists when performing regular assessments of the state of the roadway surfaces within their jurisdiction so that problematic areas can be identified and rectified in a timely manner.
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From page 35... ...
It is important that roadway surfaces in work zones be maintained to facilitate safe passage of motorcycles. Roadway surface irregularities that are common in work zones, but that are problematic for motorcyclists, include the following: • Pavement drop-offs are often abrupt and difficult to see (see Exhibit V-12)
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From page 36... ...
Where such surface irregularities are unavoidable, such as chip seal or pavement grinding, advance warning signs should be placed upstream of the problem area to alert motorcyclists of an impending roadway surface problem. For information on advance warning signs, see Strategy 11.1 A7.
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From page 37... ...
Appropriate Measures Key process measures include the number of agencies adopting desired policies, and Data as well as of the number of work zones where adverse surface conditions have been avoided, either by providing an adequate riding surface at the beginning of construction/maintenance work or by treating existing roadway surface problems in a work zone. Crash frequency and severity, by type of crash, are key safety effectiveness measures.
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From page 38... ...
Training and Other Highway agency personnel should be trained to understand the needs and Personnel Needs capabilities of motorcyclists on roadways and identify locations where surface irregularities may pose a safety problem for motorcyclists. They should also be trained in how to prevent or treat problematic roadway surfaces.
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From page 39... ...
Similarly, Haworth (1999) reported that surface traction played a part in 53 percent of all motorcycle crashes and directly contributed to SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES V-24 EXHIBIT V-17 Roadway Debris on Curve
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From page 40... ...
Coordination with other departments (e.g., snow and ice control treatments, city public works, etc.) may also lead to the development of a modified road sweeping schedule that could reduce the potential for roadway debris related to the activities of other roadway maintenance departments.
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From page 41... ...
, and That Resulting From Uncovered Loads -- From the Roadway and Roadside Technical Attributes Target The target for this strategy is roadway surfaces where debris that is a potential problem for motorcyclists accumulates. Expected Effectiveness Reducing roadway debris should reduce motorcycle crashes attributed to roadway debris or poor roadway surfaces.
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From page 42... ...
, and That Resulting From Uncovered Loads -- From the Roadway and Roadside Appropriate Measures Key process measures include adoption or revision of policies that support and Data this strategy, new budgets established to support the effort, person-hours devoted to the effort, and the number of locations at which roadway debris is removed. Crash frequency and severity are key safety effectiveness measures.
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From page 43... ...
Advance warning signs for motorcyclists should be considered for the following situations: • Where speed may have to be reduced -- Roadway surface irregularities (e.g., gravel, uneven pavement, longitudinal grooves, steel grate bridge deck, and pavement ending) and reduced traction surfaces (e.g., water across roadway, moss in perpetual wet and shaded areas)
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From page 44... ...
Further research should be conducted to determine the feasibility of developing a series of basic motorcycle warning signs that could be integrated into the MUTCD. V-29 EXHIBIT V-24 Advance Warning Sign for Motorcyclists EXHIBIT V-25 Strategy Attributes for Providing Advance Warning Signs to Alert Motorcyclists of Reduced Traction and Irregular Roadway Surfaces Technical Attributes Target The target of this strategy is locations with reduced traction or irregular roadway surfaces that cannot be otherwise mitigated.
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From page 45... ...
Crash frequency and severity, by type, are key safety effectiveness measures. Both total crashes and crash types potentially affected by the use of advance warning signs should be analyzed separately.
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From page 46... ...
• Temporary surface treatments such as gravel roads and culvert fills, steel plates, abrupt pavement drops and rises can erode with time and become increasingly problematic for motorcycles. Such roadway surface problems should be identified by highway agency personnel through routine roadway inspections.
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From page 47... ...
Appropriate Measures Key process measures include documenting the existence of the desired policies and and Data the number of locations where adverse roadway conditions have been corrected. Crash frequency and severity, by type of crash, are key safety effectiveness measures.
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From page 48... ...
Appropriate Measures Key process measures include documentation of the establishment of a road- and Data user reporting system, the number of reports received, the number of locations checked, and the number of locations where adverse roadway conditions have been corrected.
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From page 49... ...
If feasible, both total crashes and crashes related to poor roadway conditions should be analyzed separately. Motorcycle traffic volume data are needed to represent exposure, particularly in areas where road maintenance problems have been reported.
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From page 50... ...
These cards were made available to motorcyclists across the state through motorcycle dealers and clubs. Objective 11.1 B -- Reduce the Number of Motorcycle Crashes Due to Rider Impairment Strategy 11.1 B1 -- Increase Motorcyclist Awareness of the Risks of Impaired Motorcycle Operation (T)
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From page 51... ...
Transportation safety practitioners should examine statewide/regional crash data to determine the extent of the problem that a state or region faces with impaired motorcycle operation, including the use of drugs other than alcohol. Findings should be incorporated into the highway agency safety plan.
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From page 52... ...
V-37 EXHIBIT V-28 Strategy Attributes for Increasing Motorcyclist Awareness of the Risks of Impaired Motorcycle Operation Technical Attributes Target The primary target is the population of motorcycle operators, especially those that are over-represented in motorcycle crashes in the state/region. Expected Effectiveness No formal evaluation has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of this strategy at reducing motorcycle fatalities.
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From page 53... ...
That is, it may be difficult for highway agencies, and the group of stakeholders with which they are working, to identify where motorcyclists congregate and can be expected to view the public information material. Appropriate Measures Increased awareness among the community of transportation safety specialists, and Data data analysts, and policy makers is one appropriate measure of expected effectiveness.
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From page 54... ...
Costs Involved The costs associated with increasing the awareness of impaired motorcycle operation can vary widely, depending on the scope of activities. At a minimum, key personnel should be assigned to coordinate the treatment by working with data analysts, statisticians, safety practitioners, licensing and enforcement personnel and the motorcycle community.
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From page 55... ...
Contact SMSA for more information: http://www.smsa.org/motorcycle_awareness/promotional_materials/. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)
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From page 56... ...
Strategy 11.1 B2 -- Expand Existing Impairment Prevention Programs to Include Motorcycle Riders and Specific Motorcycle Events (T) General Description Many motorcyclists accept the risk of riding in exchange for the perception of freedom and adventure.
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From page 57... ...
A good reference is http://motorcycleevents.com. While these events are fun for motorcycle riders, the presence of alcohol at some of these events can bring about an increase in alcohol-related motorcycle crashes.
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From page 58... ...
V-43 EXHIBIT V-33 Strategy Attributes for Expanding Existing Impairment Prevention Programs to Include Motorcycle Riders and Specific Motorcycle Events Technical Attributes Target The target for this strategy includes motorcycle riders, promoters and organizers of motorcycle rallies and events, law enforcement, and transportation safety personnel. Expected Effectiveness There have been no formal evaluations of the effectiveness of this strategy.
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From page 59... ...
Institutional and Motorcyclists want a safe event, and often fail to recognize even simple measures Policy Issues that can bring about that safety, such as peer-to-peer intervention, or providing security for motorcycles that impaired riders would otherwise be reluctant to leave unattended overnight. Active partnering with motorcycle community leaders, law enforcement, transportation and motorcycle safety officials and event organizers will assure the safest event possible.
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From page 60... ...
Costs Involved Costs vary widely depending on the size of the motorcycle event and the specific action taken; however, many elements of this strategy can be implemented at very low costs. Training and Other Expanding existing impairment prevention programs to include motorcycle riders Personnel Needs and specific motorcycle events does not necessarily require training or additional agency personnel, but it does require an awareness of the over-representation of alcohol involvement in motorcycle crashes as compared to crashes involving other vehicle types.
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From page 61... ...
SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES V-46 EXHIBIT V-35 Example of Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Program Posters
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From page 62... ...
. Highway agency personnel should partner with enforcement officials to foster and support officer training and deployment of this resource.
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From page 63... ...
However, when this strategy is incorporated with other DWI strategies and enforcement, the effectiveness of the enforcement effort to target DWI motorcyclists should improve. Keys to Success Keys to success include: • Coordination with regional/local law enforcement and transportation and motorcycle safety authorities • Involvement of the motorcycling community, such as the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Group • Involvement of motorcycling event organizers • Training of police personnel to use impairment recognition practices for motorcyclist DWI • Targeting of enforcement in conjunction with public information and education at events • Involvement of media to support the activity
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From page 64... ...
This strategy Policy Issues requires a team effort between agencies and with the motorcycling community in order to maximize the benefits. Issues Affecting The law enforcement personnel will require NHTSA materials and training.
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From page 65... ...
Sport bikes and cruisers -- styles that didn't exist when the Hurt Study data was collected in the late 1970s -- are top sellers. • States have improved licensing programs and established rider training and motorcycle safety programs across the nation, yet the effectiveness of these programs has not been measured or quantified.
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From page 66... ...
Highway agency officials should continue to seek information on motorcycle crashes, and use this information to craft programs designed to target problems, improve safety and educate the motoring and motorcycling public. Motorcycle Licensing Programs The National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety identified five "essential" recommendations for licensing improvement: • Commission studies to ensure that licensing tests measure skills and behaviors required for crash avoidance • Identify and remove barriers to obtaining a motorcycle endorsement • Develop and implement programs to allow all state motorcycle safety programs to issue motorcycle endorsements immediately upon successful completion of rider training courses • Enforce penalties for operating a motorcycle without a proper endorsement • Encourage states and jurisdictions to provide motorcycle-specific training to license examiners administering testing for motorcyclists One "necessary" recommendation was identified: Develop an enhanced motorcycle licensing model using appropriate Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
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From page 67... ...
Most states use skills tests developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in cooperation with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and NHTSA, although in 16 jurisdictions, locally designed off-street tests are used.
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From page 68... ...
• Merge rider education and training and licensing functions to form one-stop operations. The following are "necessary": • Increase the number of states conducting Motorcycle Safety Program Assessments.
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From page 69... ...
The Motorcycle Safety Program Assessment process provides an organized approach for meeting these objectives. The Motorcycle Safety Program Assessment is a cooperative effort among NHTSA, the state motorcycle program office, the state highway safety office, and other agencies or offices, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Public Safety, Department of Transportation, and/or Department of Education, which contribute to the state's motorcycle SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES V-54
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From page 70... ...
The Motorcycle Safety Program Assessment examines the following components of a comprehensive motorcycle safety program: • Program management • Motorcycle personal protective equipment • Motorcycle operator licensing • Motorcycle rider education and training • Motorcycle operation under the influence of alcohol or other drugs • Legislation and regulations • Law enforcement • Highway engineering • Motorcycle conspicuity and motorist awareness programs • Communication program • Program evaluation and data For more information, see NHTSA's Uniform Guidelines for State Highway Safety Programs: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/whatsup/tea21/tea21programs/pages/ MotorcyclePDF.pdf. The demand for training has borne witness to the emergence of industry training programs.
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From page 71... ...
Expected Effectiveness The success of this strategy depends on the extent to which those responsible for implementing these countermeasures understand the value of reviewing data to identify motorcycle crash causation factors, especially rider training and licensing status. It is advisable to meet with the personnel involved in transportation and motorcycle safety programs to fully understand the reasons for this approach (i.e., the over-representation of unlicensed and untrained riders in motorcycle crashes, particularly in a highway agency's respective jurisdiction)
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From page 72... ...
The highway agency's FARS specialist should track and publish statewide annual motorcycle crash statistics. State motorcycle safety officials should track training figures within the state and develop a method by which training information could be linked with crash data records to form a truly comprehensive motorcycle data system.
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From page 73... ...
Strategy Attributes for Increasing Awareness of the Causes of Crashes Due to Unlicensed or Untrained Motorcycle Riders EXHIBIT V-38 Motorcycle Safety Foundation Educational Materials SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES
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From page 74... ...
Linking data from CODES, vehicle registration, operator licensing and rider training records, MVA can begin to evaluate and understand violation and crash trends and the effects of training and licensing on those crashes and violations. For more information, contact the Maryland Motorcycle Safety Program: www.motor cyclesafety@mdot.state.md.us.
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From page 75... ...
SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES V-60 EXHIBIT V-40 Educational Materials Produced by Oregon Department of Transportation (left) and Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Program (right)
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From page 76... ...
Changes in training or licensing should be communicated to the training and licensing communities through periodic instructor and examiner in-service training programs. V-61 EXHIBIT V-41 Strategy Attributes for Ensuring That Licensing and Rider Training Programs Adequately Teach and Measure Skills and Behaviors Required for Crash Avoidance Technical Attributes Target The target of this strategy is state agencies with regulatory oversight of motorcycle operator licensing and motorcycle rider training (public and private)
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From page 77... ...
Strategy Attributes for Ensuring That Licensing and Rider Training Programs Adequately Teach and Measure Skills and Behaviors Required for Crash Avoidance
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From page 78... ...
Qualifying for a motorcycle endorsement indicates the rider has met minimum standards for knowledge, skill and safety, and is a requirement in all states. It is the skills test, more than the knowledge test, that complicates compliance: • The testing times are inconvenient and not immediate.
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From page 79... ...
Finally, licensing reciprocity between state-to-state licensing programs may streamline operations and eliminate unnecessary testing. Many states currently recognize other states' licensing standards and do not require legally licensed out-of-state applicants to complete the battery of operator licensing tests to qualify for a driver's license and motorcycle endorsement.
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From page 80... ...
If possible, the community of riders who lack licensing credentials to ride motorcycles should be informed of the motorcycle licensing requirements and encouraged to comply with state law. This is the most effective targeting means, for it puts the violators "on notice." Finally, highway agencies should partner with the licensing and motorcycle safety program to offer weekend or evening testing hours.
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From page 81... ...
If such information is not currently reported on the crash data forms, then appropriate procedures should be initiated to update the highway agency crash reporting forms to include such information. Organizational and Institutional Attributes Organizational, The goal of this strategy is to get motorcycle riders properly licensed or endorsed.
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From page 82... ...
A strong public information and media effort advertised the evening hours, and the state motorcycle safety program made available stateowned training motorcycles for endorsement applicants to use. An average of 800 motorcycle operators took advantage of the opportunity in each of the first 3 years of the program, with 920 operators participating in the last year, 1998.
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From page 83... ...
supports motorcycle licensing programs and has developed licensing PSAs for print and web applications in a variety of sizes and formats and will provide them at no cost to the state. Contact the MSF for more information.
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From page 84... ...
V-69 EXHIBIT V-44 Strategy Attributes for Increasing the Awareness of the Benefit of High-Visibility Clothing Technical Attributes Target The targets of this strategy are motorcycle riders and passengers, as well as the motorcycle-safety and rider-training community. Expected Effectiveness The effectiveness of increasing the awareness of the benefits of conspicuous clothing has not been satisfactorily quantified.
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From page 85... ...
Often, these committees are comprised of motorcycle leaders, authorities and activists from across the state, and include representatives from State Police, DMV, Transportation Safety and the state's motorcycle safety program. Partnering with MSAC groups is essential to begin to (a)
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From page 86... ...
of the motorcycle and rider frontal surfaces. The National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety, developed by NHTSA, identified a variety of recognized tactics to make motorcycles and riders more conspicuous, including V-71 EXHIBIT V-45 Public Service Announcements for Appropriate Cycling Clothing
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From page 87... ...
SECTION V -- DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES V-72 EXHIBIT V-46 Strategy Attributes for Identifying and Promoting Visibility-Enhancement Methods and Technology Technical Attributes Target The target of this strategy is motorcycle riders and passengers, as well as the motorcycle safety and rider training community. Expected Effectiveness The effectiveness of increasing the awareness of the benefits of visibility methods has not been satisfactorily quantified.
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From page 88... ...
Often, these committees comprise motorcycle leaders, authorities and activists from across the state, and include representatives from state police, DMV, transportation safety and the state's motorcycle safety program. Partnering with MSAC groups is important to begin to (a)
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From page 89... ...
General Description The objective of this strategy is to reduce the severity of motorcycle crashes by increasing the use of FMVSS 218 compliant helmets among motorcycle riders.1 When worn, helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatalities in crashes. Enactments of universal helmet laws have consistently been associated with a 90- to 100-percent increase in helmet usage, a 20- to 40-percent decrease in fatalities and fatality rates, and approximately a 67-percent decrease in serious head and brain injuries.
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From page 90... ...
While factors other than declining helmet use have contributed to the increase in fatalities, statespecific studies consistently show large and significant reductions in helmet use and increases in fatalities and injuries associated with recently repealed or weakened universal helmet laws. Thus, the potential for helmet use to ameliorate the negative impact of the other factors contributing to the increase in motorcycle fatalities has not been realized during this recent period of repeals and declining usage.
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From page 91... ...
Within the mandatory approach, there have been universal helmet laws, which require use among all age groups and under all conditions; and there have been partial helmet laws, which generally require use only among riders under age 21 or under age 18.9 Effectiveness of Universal Helmet Laws Fact: Observed usage among riders in universal helmet law states is 60- to 100-percent greater than in other states. Examples include: • Thirteen years of observations in 19 U.S.
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From page 92... ...
. Fact: Helmet usage among crash-involved riders in states with universal helmet laws is generally twice the rate of usage among such high-risk riders in states with partial helmet laws and no helmet laws.
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From page 93... ...
Fact: Usage among young riders covered by partial helmet laws is substantially lower under such laws than under universal helmet laws. Examples include: • In Texas, only 29 percent of injured riders under age 18 were found to be helmeted under a partial helmet law (U.S.
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From page 94... ...
. It should be noted that, as a result of these findings, the GAO reviewers concluded that "Congress may wish to consider encouraging states to enact and retain universal helmet laws; and that .
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From page 95... ...
Per 100K MCs Initial Repeals 1976 3,312 4,933 67.1 1978 4,577 4,868 94.0 1980 5,144 5,694 90.3 Little Activity 1982 4,453 5,754 77.4 1984 4,608 5,480 84.1 1986 4,566 5,262 86.7 1988 3,662 4,584 79.9 Re-Enact 1990 3,244 4,259 76.2 1992 2,395 4,065 58.9 1994 2,320 3,757 62.4 Repeals And Downgrades 1996 2,161 3,872 55.8 1998 2,294 3,879 59.1 2000 2,897 4,346 66.7 2002 3,270 5,004 65.4 2004 4,028 5,781 69.7 2005 4,553 6,227 73.1 Summary of Effectiveness: Universal and Partial Helmet Laws • There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of universal helmet laws in that they are associated with large and significant increases in usage and declines in fatalities, fatality rates, injuries (particularly head and brain injuries) , and reduced medical costs.
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From page 96... ...
However, while the effectiveness and benefits associated with universal helmet laws are large and consistent, the barriers to enacting such laws have become formidable as well. Some motorcycle rider groups oppose such laws on the grounds that they violate personal freedoms.
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From page 97... ...
Nearly all successful efforts to enact universal helmet laws have involved broad-based coalitions that have included law enforcement, insurance, medical, public health, advocacy and safety organizations. Hire Someone to Coordinate Your Campaign.
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From page 98... ...
This may help to convince legislators that the vast majority of the public supports universal helmet laws. Conduct Evaluations and Cost-Savings Analyses.
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From page 99... ...
. At the time, these same surveys were documenting decreases in motorcycle helmet usage associated with law repeals and they were finding the large and significant differences in usage in states with universal helmet laws, compared to states with partial helmet laws and states with no helmet laws.
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From page 100... ...
Fact: Non-compliant helmets make enforcement of universal helmet laws more complicated. • While some resources have been provided to help law enforcement officers identify non-compliant helmets, more needs to be done.
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From page 101... ...
Expected Effectiveness The effectiveness of FMVSS 218 compliant helmets in reducing head injuries is proven and the implementation of a universal helmet law has consistently been shown to increase helmet usage to nearly 100 percent and to reduce fatalities by 20-40 percent (U.S.
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From page 102... ...
Enforcing universal helmet laws that reference or incorporate FMVSS 218 has been difficult for local and state law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers find it challenging to prove a helmet is non-compliant under state law due to the accessibility of counterfeit DOT stickers.
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From page 103... ...
Training and Other With regard to universal helmet laws, training is necessary for law enforcement Personnel Needs personnel to identify compliant and non-compliant helmets and to properly enforce such laws. NHTSA has created a video and training sheet, "Fake Helmets, Unsafe On Any Head," for law enforcement.
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From page 104... ...
Organizations That Support Universal Helmet Laws Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety: http://www.saferoads.org/issues/fs-helmets.htm American College of Emergency Physicians: http://www.acep.org/ American College of Surgeons: http://www.facs.org/fellows_info/statements/st-35.html Trauma Foundation: http://www.traumaf.org/featured/7-28-04motorcycle%20helmet%20laws.html Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA) : http://www.statehighwaysafety.org/ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/safebike/helmet.html http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/6000/6200/6285/fs_mcycl.pdf National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
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From page 105... ...
Furthermore, dehydration, overheating, and hypothermia can compromise a rider's judgment and cause decreased vision, light-headedness, and impaired coordination. Safety is the main reason to wear protective apparel, but comfort is important also.
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From page 106... ...
The motorcycle safety and rider training communities should be involved in this strategy to assist in the development of public information and education resources for motorcyclists to understand the benefits of helmets and protective gear. V-91 EXHIBIT V-51 Strategy Attributes for Increasing the Awareness of the Benefit of Protective Clothing Technical Attributes Target The target of this strategy is motorcycle riders and passengers, as well as the motorcycle safety and rider training community.
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From page 107... ...
Training and Other Increasing the awareness of the benefit of protective clothing does not necessarily Personnel Needs require training or additional agency personnel, but it does require knowledge of how clothing can protect motorcycle riders and a willingness to partner with key stakeholders. Legislative Needs None identified.
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From page 108... ...
Objective 11.1 F -- Increase Motorcycle Rider Safety Awareness Strategy 11.1 F1 -- Form Strategic Alliances with Motorcycle User Community to Foster and Promote Motorcycle Safety (T) General Description An important step of any program to improve motorcycle safety is to build strategic alliances between highway agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the motorcycle rider, safety, and education communities.
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From page 109... ...
• Law enforcement and licensing authorities • The state's motorcycle safety advisory committee -- These groups exist in 25 states (SMSA, 2002) , meet frequently and often hold public meetings to hear constituency issues and concerns.
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From page 110... ...
Potential Difficulties Not everyone is going to agree on everything, especially when it comes to discussing universal helmet laws. This is one of the most contentious issues of this community.
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From page 111... ...
Strategy Attributes for Forming Strategic Alliances with the Motorcycle Community to Foster and Promote Motorcycle Safety
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From page 112... ...
The summit represented the first state-level workshop on motorcycle safety developed from the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety report and involved extensive input from WisDOT's partners in traffic safety, including motorcycle advocacy groups, law enforcement, educational institutions and others. Those who attended the meeting participated in small group brainstorming sessions in a workshop setting to identify: (1)
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From page 113... ...
General Description Every year, hundreds of motorcycle riders are injured or killed in motorcycle crashes. The role of alcohol, unendorsed operation, and lack of training as risk factors has been well established (Objective 11.1 B -- "Reduce the Number of Motorcycle Crashes Due to Rider Impairment" and Objective 11.1 C -- "Reduce the Number of Motorcycle Crashes Due to Unlicensed or Untrained Motorcycle Riders")
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From page 114... ...
V-99 EXHIBIT V-54 Strategy Attributes for Increasing Awareness of the Consequences of Aggressive Riding, Riding While Fatigued or Impaired, Unsafe Riding, and Poor Traffic Strategies Technical Attributes Target The target of this strategy is the group of motorcycle riders involved in high-risk and reckless riding. Expected Effectiveness No formal evaluation has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of this strategy at reducing motorcycle fatalities.
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From page 115... ...
EXHIBIT V-54 (Continued) Strategy Attributes for Increasing Awareness of the Consequences of Aggressive Riding, Riding While Fatigued or Impaired, Unsafe Riding, and Poor Traffic Strategies Information on Agencies or Organizations Currently Implementing This Strategy Exhibit V-55 shows the speed at which a motorcyclist was captured riding (132 mph)
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From page 116... ...
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has developed motorcyclist awareness PSAs for print and web applications in a variety of sizes and formats and will provide them at no cost to the state.
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From page 117... ...
The National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety identified the following factors that, when combined, can cause drivers to overlook motorcyclists (NHTSA, 2000) : • Motorcycles and riders represent a relatively small component of the total traffic mix.
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From page 118... ...
V-103 EXHIBIT V-59 Strategy Attributes for Educating Operators of Other Vehicles to be More Conscious of the Presence of Motorcyclists Technical Attributes Target The target of this strategy is operators of vehicles other than motorcycles. Expected Effectiveness No formal evaluation has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of this strategy at reducing motorcycle crashes, injuries or fatalities.
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From page 119... ...
Training and Other Educating operators of other vehicles to be more conscious of the presence of Personnel Needs motorcyclists does not necessarily require training or additional agency personnel, but it does require an awareness of the issues, a priority to address the issues, and a willingness to partner with key stakeholders to begin the process of effecting change. Legislative Needs None identified.
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From page 120... ...
. The Maryland Motorcycle Safety Program within the Motor Vehicles Division adopted the Take it Easy campaign (see Exhibit V-62)
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From page 121... ...
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has developed motorist awareness PSAs (Bikes Belong)
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From page 122... ...
For example, traffic management strategies employ the use of sensors embedded in the pavement to detect the presence of a vehicle in a left-turn lane. This greatly improves the efficiency of the traffic control system; however, the sensors are often unable to detect the presence of a motorcycle, thus causing the motorcycle rider to either wait until another vehicle enters the left-turn lane to trigger the sensor, or violate traffic code and make V-107
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From page 123... ...
Appropriate Measures Process measures include the number of riders who participated in the ITS and Data deployment as measured against the number of registered motorcycle riders in the area of deployment. Associated Needs None identified.
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From page 124... ...
. Websites Department of Transportation -- Intelligent Transportation Systems website http://www.its.dot.gov/ Intelligent Transportation Society of America website http://www.itsa.org/ WP.29 World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations -- International Harmonized Research Activities -- Intelligent Transport Systems Working Group http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/infpape_125.html National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety -- position statement on deployment of ITS http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/00-NHT-212-motorcycle/ environmental59-60.html American Motorcyclist Association -- comments on need to include motorcycles in the development and deployment of ITS http://www.ama-cycle.org Objective 11.1 H -- Improve Motorcycle Safety Research, Data, and Analysis Strategy 11.1 H1 -- Develop and Implement Standardized Data Gathering and Reporting for Motorcycle Crashes (N/A)
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From page 125... ...
Once the data listed in the table are being regularly collected by states, and a consistent crash data reporting system has been established, data linkages can be initiated in order to further understand motorcycle crash causation. The CODES project is an illustration of how crash data records can be linked to hospital records in order to find detailed information regarding different types of motorcycle crashes and their associated medical outcome (http://www.
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From page 126... ...
has initiated a project to link motorcycle crash information with hospital, state licensing and rider training records to determine crash causation, rider behavior, licensing status and training experience. Further information can be obtained from the Maryland Motorcycle Safety Program at 1-800-638-8236 or e-mail at motorcyclesafety@mdot.state.md.us.
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From page 127... ...
General Description The identification of risk factors in traffic crashes requires the use of exposure data. Ideally this data source represents the population-at-risk, i.e., the population of motorcycle riders that are exposed to the same risks as those within the accident population.
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From page 128... ...
V-113 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 Under 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to 60 Over 60 Age Group Age Group A nn ua l M ot or cy cl e M VM T Motorcycle riders 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000 180,000 Under 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to 60 Over 60 A nn ua l C ar M VM T Car drivers & passengers EXHIBIT V-68 Annual Miles Driven versus Age for Males in 2001 Source: NHTSA, 2001
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From page 129... ...
Information on Agencies or Organizations Currently Implementing This Strategy NHTSA has explored methods to collect motorcycle rider exposure data. A workshop was held in June 2003 to discuss potential methodologies for motorcycle rider exposure data collection and the summary report of that workshop is available.
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From page 130... ...
General Description In order to fully understand motorcycle crashes and crash causation, existing data must be analyzed and used to develop appropriate countermeasures. Many highway agencies currently have, or at least have access to, sufficient data to identify motorcycle crash patterns and potential countermeasures.
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From page 131... ...
The PC/Window-based software is available free of charge from the following link: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ crash/MVS/ Using Minnesota crash data, the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) has determined that the majority of motorcycle fatalities and injuries in Minnesota involve collisions with other vehicles.
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Key Terms
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information on Chapter Skim is available.