Enhanced information for decision making
A critical aspect of developing effective initiatives in motorcycle safety is having adequate and reliable information. There is ample information on some aspects of driver risk factors but little information on the risks for riders.
An important component of the Motorcycle Safety Levy program is improving information sources. There are specific projects undertaken under this category in addition to the research and evaluation projects identified under the other categories.
Motorcycle exposure study
Exposure to risk is a key concept in road safety. It refers to how likely some road users are to get injured relative to how much time they spend on the road. This can be very important in setting priorities or identifying emerging issues. Some of the commonly used measures of exposure for car drivers include the number of licences on issue, the number of registered vehicles and vehicle kilometres travelled. These measures do not necessarily currently represent the most accurate estimates of exposure for motorcyclists.The motorcycle exposure study has provided additional information on some of the more commonly travelled roads in Victoria, the proportion of motorcycles versus all vehicles on many roads throughout Victoria, and some of the key characteristics of different rider groups (e.g. sport, tourer, cruiser, traditional, scooter). Issues such as trip purpose, time of day, rider experience and licence status have all been included in the research. This research will help to better target specific motorcycle safety initiatives in the areas that are likely to have maximum benefit.
Off-road motorcycle injury research
Off-road rider safety is considered as an important issue worthy of attention. However, very little information is available especially on the extent and location of off-road riding. Off-road riders are thought to be involved in serious crashes in transit between their home and the off-road location, on local roads outside built-up areas, on forest roads and on trails within parks.
This research project has identified the extent of injury crashes among off-road riders to help determine ways of improving off-road rider safety.
Investigation into the involvement of scooters in crashesMotor scooters have been identified as an emerging road user group. Scooter crashes are increasing at a rate higher than that for other motorcycles or cars. This increase is likely to be due to an increase in scooter use (suggested by increased sales figures). Indicative data from this project suggested that:- The proportion of scooter crashes resulting in serious injuries is similar to the proportion for motorcycle crashes, and much higher than that for car occupants.
- Compared to motorcycle crashes, scooter crashes occur more often in urban areas, close to the rider’s home, and involve a greater proportion of women.
- Scooter crashes share some common factors with car crashes, with a similar proportion occurring on weekdays, in 60km/h zones, involving two vehicles, and occurring at intersections.
Speed plays a major role in many crashes as it influences both the likelihood of being involved in a crash and the resulting crash severity. However, there has been significant debate about the contribution of speed and speeding in motorcycle crashes.
The project examined the separate effects of inappropriate and excessive motorcycle speed and changes in traffic speed on the frequency and severity of motorcycle crashes.View the executive summary of the report.
