Motorcycle Safety Assessment in Wyoming and Utah: Crash Characteristics and Contributing Factors

Motorcycle riders and passengers are much more likely to be killed or severely injured in a crash, and on average, about 15% of all traffic fatalities include motorcyclists. The study uses 12 years of motorcycle crash data (2008–2019) from Wyoming, and eight years of data from Utah (2014–2021) and applies multinomial logistic and Bayesian multilevel regression modeling to determine the effects of various exposure measures on injury severity. Four models were developed and analyzed: (1) rural single motorcycle crashes; (2) rural multi-vehicle motorcycle-related crashes; (3) urban single motorcycle crashes; and (4) urban multi-vehicle motorcycle-related crashes. Overall, it was found that the most common factors affecting injury severity in motorcycle-related crashes include vehicle maneuver, driver action, junction relation, alcohol, animal and speed involvement, and helmet use. The vicinity of intersections significantly increases the odds of injury crashes in all urban and the rural multivehicle crashes, compared to no injury. Vehicle maneuvers, such as overtaking/passing, changing lanes, and negotiating a curve, are also associated with a more severe crash outcome. Helmet use was generally found to reduce fatal and serious injuries in crashes, with some exceptions, where other factors were more significant. Future work will include more detailed analysis on vehicle and person levels.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=1090
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/63598
• Summary URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/67958
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Wyoming, Laramie

  Department of Civil & Architectural Engineering and Construction Management
  Laramie, WY  United States 

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Zlatkovic, Milan
• Publication Date: 2022-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 60p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash characteristics; Crash data; Injury severity; Motorcycle crashes; Regression analysis
• Geographic Terms: Utah; Wyoming
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01857401
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC-22-471
• Contract Numbers: MPC-655
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 12 2022 10:18AM