Great, what new laws will come from this?

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Study to delve into rise of motorcycle fatalities
David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington -- The Federal Highway Administration will conduct an intensive study into the cause of the growing number of motorcycle crashes and deaths on America's roads. It's the first study of its kind in almost 30 years.

Nearly 5,300 motorcycle riders died in roadway crashes in 2008, representing 14 percent of all deaths, and 96,000 were injured.

Between 1997 and 2008, motorcycle fatalities jumped from 2,116 to 5,290 -- a 150 percent increase, according to the Transportation Department's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

From 2007 to 2008 alone, deaths from motorcycle crashes rose by 2.2 percent while all other vehicle classes saw reductions in fatalities.

The problem isn't just because of more bikes on the roads.

The motorcycle fatality rate has nearly doubled from 21 per million miles traveled in 1997 to 39 in 2007.

The study was required by a 2005 federal law, the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act," and will be conducted along with the Oklahoma State University.

Researchers will evaluate data from hundreds of motorcycle crashes to help identify common factors, including road configurations, environmental conditions and rider experience.

The study's focus is on countermeasures that could reduce motorcycle crashes or lessen their harm.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a pilot study to develop the protocols for the full-scale causation research. NHTSA conducted the last major motorcycle causation study, which was completed in 1981.

"OSU is delighted to be the lead research institution for this important study," said Alan Tree, associate dean for research in Oklahoma State's College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. "We expect very significant, scientifically valid results to emerge from this work and look forward to a very positive final outcome."

NHTSA said in July it was considering requiring new safety features on motorcycles.

In Michigan, motorcycle-related deaths remain a serious problem.

Motorcycle road deaths jumped from 6.8 percent of all traffic deaths in 2004 to 13 percent in 2008 -- from 79 deaths in 2004 to 127 last year. Motorcycle injuries rose from 2,679 in 2004 to 3,462 last year.

In June 2008, Gov. Jennifer Granholm again vetoed a bill to repeal the state's mandatory helmet law for motorcycle riders.

 

Eventually we'll all be screwed. Protect the morons by limiting those of us that are more than mildly intelligent and possess any form of common sense.

 

how many more motorcyclists were there in 2008 than 1997?

 

Exactly NCB. Motorcycle sales have surged since 9/11 due to the increase in gas prices. That was one of my primary driving forces in getting a bike and I know MANY others that did the same thing. A massive rush of inexperienced riders will of course skew the statistics.

 

THEORETICALLY they get the numbers issue:

"The problem isn't just because of more bikes on the roads.

The motorcycle fatality rate has nearly doubled from 21 per million miles traveled in 1997 to 39 in 2007."

But not so sure they get the "A massive rush of inexperienced riders will of course skew the statistics." that Meatloaf brings up...

 

Gee, I wonder if talking and texting on cellph's while driving have anything to do with their statistics? Cellph's are much more prevalent now than they were even 10 years ago, esp. among teens and - surprise! - teen drivers.

How about the explosion of sales of bigger vehicles several years ago, driven by more and more barely qualified drivers? Getting a driver's license is pathetically easy in this country, and most states don't incorporate motorcycle awareness into their courses/requirements.

Or an aging population, including baby boomers whose eyesight and reaction times ain't what they used to be? I know I steer clear of the bluehairs whenever possible.

How about road rage, a trend that grew over the last several years? "I hate bikers, so I'm gonna tailgate this guy just to piss him off."

Deer population out of control, leading to more wrecks, including more fatal bike/deer crashes?

Or the continued repealing of mandatory helmet laws? Hey, personal freedom is a good thing, but so is protecting your noggin.

More bikes on the road? Higher % of riders on the road with no training?

More cruisers on the road, too, which don't handle or brake all that well. Big, heavy machines, some with only one disc brake on the front wheel (which never makes sense to me), many piloted by riders brand new to the game.


Yep, scary to think what the lawmakers might come up with to protect us from ourselves. But we all know we ARE NOT our own worst enemy.

 

All this stuff drives me nuts. I wish every accident report that newspapers or any other source that covers a motorcycle accident story would be required to print the rider's experience level, cause of crash, and the type of motorcycle involved. I rarely hear about sport riders dying. It's usually the half-ass experienced cruiser riders that end up in the papers. There are plenty of squids out there on either none the less.


Echo- Since you're from Michigan too, how do you feel about the new cable barriers along the highways they're putting in? I think they'll save automobile lives but they look like death traps for motorcycle riders...

 

Bigger vehicles and pathetically easy to get licenses...spot on. What do you guys think about not needing a special license to drive recreational vehicles the size of most motor coaches???? This drives me nuts as a CDL Class A holder. How can anyone jump into a 30 foot plus vehicle and drive safely with no training whatsoever??!?!?! And lots of them are aging seniors!!! Baffles my mind!!!

 

Actually, you're spot on as for the cables. And while they may 'save lives' for cagers, I'm not sure it's the life I'd want. Had a buddy when I was in the Corps, fell asleep driving home from base, hit a cable barrier on I5, tore his car apart. I wouldn't want the life he ended up with... Suppose it did save a person on the other side though. Perspective I suppose.

What I don't understand, is why they're not centered in the island? At least the ones I've seen on I96 aren't. They are closer to one side for a while, then shift to the other. Seems to leave less room on the closer side for adjustment if you're forced into the island. Seems to me it would be better to put them in the middle?

 

I wondered the same damn thing when I rode up to Grand Rapids from Lansing last month. I thought: "Awesome, if for some reason I get forced off the highway(Semi merges over-has happened before!!!) for whatever reason and need the median to slow down without dumping the bike...I'll make it to the other side just in time to be clothes-lined and thrown into on coming traffic. Either way, they only seem to benefit those riding in a cage to be used as a bumper car.

But man..if you're not paying attention enough to see another vehicle driving in the median towards you, then what the hell are you doing driving in the first place? Seems like a waste of money to me(then there's the whole "how much is a life worth to you?" crap) They ought to spend the money on maintaining the crappy road bed itself.

 

Or maybe better/tougher training...

Next time you're up my way, give me a hollar, I'll meet ya somewhere and buy you a drink.

 

News flash: The assholes who are going to do this "study" are the same assholes who choose cable barriers because they are cost effective for the majority of people on the road. Guess who that does not include. Studies on the rippers (cable barriers) often deliberately exclude motorcycle cable crashes. Put bluntly, the Assistant Director of the Oklahoma Dept of Transportation responded to concerns about motorcycle safety in barrier crashes "They will just have to be more careful." He is not alone in his BS and the study will list a mess of reasons why we are at fault that will totally ignore reality. Remember, if these assholes had their way in the 80s, sportbikes would not exist in this country....

PS: A Gixxer buddy in OKC hit a cable barrier a while back and he's adapting to his new prosthetic leg quite well I'm told...

 

i read an article a year back or so. it was talking about how the astronomical gas prices were bringing so many people to motorcycles, and back to their old motorcycles, for that matter too. the author was stating how, with the peaking gas prices, he was starting to see a lot of equipment on the road that looked like it hadn't been used in years, decades even. a lot of 80s bikes, with 80s tires and 80s chains, with 80s helmets etc.... that had been sitting on the side of the house, shed or garage for too long without proper service.
a lot of rusty riders with rusty bikes, being forced onto their old bikes thanks to high gas prices, probably didnt help the study too much...

 

ok, I don't ride out of a 200 mile radius from my home too often, so here's my take on local conditions. Yes, there have been more motorcycle related wrecks than in the past. BUT, and a big but, it's not really the blame on the riders. Here in NWA, from Bella Vista to South Fayetteville, you really only have 2 roads to travel. I-540 and Hwy 71-B. Since a few years ago when Wal-Mart decided to force major suppliers into opening offices local to the WM Home offices, the traffic has more than tripled. I wouldn't doubt it if it hasn't risen an actual 500%. Now with the increase of offices comes a HUGE increase in necessary traffic into and out of Bentonville daily. Traffic times went from a leisurely 30min drive on 71-b to fayetteville, to a staunch 2hr drive during peak times, if not longer. Many people have branched out to motorcycles to better navigate the roads/traffic, as well as to save fuel costs. With the rise in drive times, comes a huge rise in attitudes and road rage and carelessness of the cagers. So, oblivious to the fact that bikes are trying to make their way thru also, they just push over anyone in their path, riders included. Of course when you put a cager vs. rider, the cager will come out on top. End of story, no study needed!

Basically, they can save alot of money by adapting the roads to the increase of riders/inexperience drivers/aged drivers/etc, rather than studying and trying to point the finger at any one demographic and say that the riders should adapt to everyone else. Me, personally, i'd MUCH rather ride my bike thru the traffic where I can cut around and be more nimble in certain circumstances.

 

Again, great thread but Bubba Z. only has time to make a few quick comments.

This study was not initiated for nefarious purposes as many motorcyclists like to think. A major crash study has not been done since the 1981-82? Hurt Report.

As many of you know I am an MSF Coach and I can tell you this has been in the pipeline for sometime. Now before I get into anything I do want to make it clear some politician WILL misinterpret data and make up some stupid law. But let’s move beyond that for a moment.

What we know:

Two statistics have remained the same since the Hurt Report.

1. Intersections, with a car turning left in front of the motorcyclist, is still the number one accident. About 50% of crashes are this…
2. 40% are crashing in a curve…

So if the accidents have remained the same, why have the fatalities risen so much? And this were the new stats (based on smaller studies) are interesting.

It looks like it’s a combination of factors, not just one thing.

NCB hit part of the mark. There are more motorcyclists so logically their will be more deaths. But the problem is there are MORE deaths than normal. Per capita, if car drivers were dying at this rate there would be legislation to control the problem, good, bad or indifferent; there is no question about it.

The three things that seem to be the issue are:

Alcohol: This one factor has brought all the cruiser riding Baby Boomers to almost, if not equal, to the death statistics of young sport bike riding males. For what ever reason, the Boomers who used to drive their old muscle cars to the bar to have a few with old friends traded their cars in for bikes and do the same thing. Have a few with friends and then ride, which equals death, usually in a curve. Alcohol also seems to be a major factor in the deaths of service men who have returned from the Iraq War. Again, same thing, have a few hit a curve and fail to negotiate it.

The repealing of Helmet Laws: As many of you know, when motorcycling hit its second renaissance in the late 90’s to now, a number of States repealed their helmet laws. If you look at the numbers, after just one riding season the laws were repealed the fatalities noticeably increased. Add to the fact that the number of riders increased at the same time this just made the stats that much more noticeable. I’m not soap boxing here; I’m just trying to shed light on what is part of the issue.

Speed: OK, this one is not what you think per se. Yes, the bikes are part of the equation, but I want to try and hash this out more. We know when someone has one or two beers (or more) their speeds increase by quite a bit. This is why the curves pick off riders who have been drinking. They go into the turns way faster than what can be handled and with the increased speeds come increased injuries when they go down and slam into guardrails, curbs, trees, etc. (This is why racing went from the road to the dedicated track, just ask Kenny Roberts). The bikes come into play because ALL of the modern machines can reach high speeds in such a short distance.

In a nut shell we have the three above factors mixing and matching with the old statistics to add to the body count.

What will happen? I don’t know, but all us MSF Coaches will be hashing this out at our winter meetings.

I know this, the manufacturers, politicians and DOT’s are all looking at this issue.

BZ

 

they have them here to all down the highway. i think man if i wreck im screwed they would cut you in half

 

Alcohol: This one factor has brought all the cruiser riding Baby Boomers to almost, if not equal, to the death statistics of young sport bike riding males. For what ever reason, the Boomers who used to drive their old muscle cars to the bar to have a few with old friends traded their cars in for bikes and do the same thing. Have a few with friends and then ride, which equals death, usually in a curve. Alcohol also seems to be a major factor in the deaths of service men who have returned from the Iraq War. Again, same thing, have a few hit a curve and fail to negotiate it.

The repealing of Helmet Laws: As many of you know, when motorcycling hit its second renaissance in the late 90’s to now, a number of States repealed their helmet laws. If you look at the numbers, after just one riding season the laws were repealed the fatalities noticeably increased. Add to the fact that the number of riders increased at the same time this just made the stats that much more noticeable. I’m not soap boxing here; I’m just trying to shed light on what is part of the issue.

Speed: OK, this one is not what you think per se. Yes, the bikes are part of the equation, but I want to try and hash this out more. We know when someone has one or two beers (or more) their speeds increase by quite a bit. This is why the curves pick off riders who have been drinking. They go into the turns way faster than what can be handled and with the increased speeds come increased injuries when they go down and slam into guardrails, curbs, trees, etc. (This is why racing went from the road to the dedicated track, just ask Kenny Roberts). The bikes come into play because ALL of the modern machines can reach high speeds in such a short distance.


BZ you hit the nail on the head with one of my friends. Good guy when sober but an idiot on a motorcyle when drinking. All three of those played into a factor last week when he wrecked his HD. I wasn't with him nore will I ever hang out with him while he drinks and rides. Sad thing is that there is a helmet law here in LA. He was close to home (hence why he didnt want to wear a helmet) at a bar. When he left the bar a few of his friends wanted to race him back to his house for more beers. There are a few plus'es from this story. He did live, albeit with a broken wrist and broken Tib\Fib. Second, he doesnt have a motorcycle anymore and doesnt plan on getting another one. I told him hopefully the crash knocked some sense into him. Ride Safe.

 

Excellent point about alcohol, Bubba. Some riders are total asshats when it comes to this. I know it's an ugly stereotype, but there is truth to it...bar-hopping Harley and other cruiser riders having a few beers and riding home, or to the next bar.

All we want is an honest and fair report about the dangers we face and solutions to some of the fixable problems. But it's mostly up to us to ride safely, and that includes watching out for people turning across our lanes, negotiating curves without crashing, wearing proper gear just in case, etc.

 

they just stared putting up the cable barreriers here in louisana fatatlitys have droped by 25% here in my county

 

This is were it gets interesting. A couple you fellow VFRW members can already relate to the factors that are assisting in the increased deaths.

In Delaware, it’s pretty easy to find out what happened with our local motorcycle accidents.

It’s not just the newbie’s and squids and THAT’s the important information that many seem to miss.

When someone dies in Delaware, co-workers tell me about it (as well as others) and I’ve turned it into a game (not to be a jerk). I say: “The rider is between 35-50 years old was riding a cruiser style motorcycle at night, lost it in a curve, no gear and alcohol may be a factor”.

I ether get, “Oh, you read it already” or if they start with “Dan, did you hear about the high speed motorcycle accident over the weekend”? Again, “The rider is between 20-30 years old, lost it in a curve or hit a car at an intersection because they could not stop in time due to excessive speed”?

And the third type of accident for Delaware is: “Dan did you hear about the guy who died in Dover, a car pulled out in front of them and they hit the car and died and they were only going 35 mph”? And I say: “Let me guess, no helmet”. And again: “Yes, You already read the article?”

Now I’m not always dead accurate, but enough that co-workers won’t bet against me.

The real issue is many motorcyclists, especially the ones who consider themselves “experienced” motorcyclists are really anything but that. I think the friend example used by diVeFR says it all. Nice guy, been riding many years, has no real training beyond the Basic MSF course and normally just cruises around with friends. Throw in a few drinks, some laughs at the bar, horsepower and ego and they may as well be 19 with a new R1. But to tell them that watch the hell out! I coached my first Experienced Rider Course this year and the class was ALL older riders except one kid on his SV650. About 4 of the older riders were the classic “I’ve been riding 20 plus years what’s this young sport bike guy gonna teach me”? mentality.

Here’s the real issue in motorcycling and the increase in deaths. Attitude. The young don’t take it seriously and the older have seem to direct theirs into the wrong ideals.

The bad news is there is no test measurement or study that can show attitude.

BZ