CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS

An in-depth analysis of 271 motorcycle accidents in Canada has been conducted. Victims are generally young, male operators with very limited riding experience. Accidents occur most frequently at intersections and involve another vehicle, the operator of which is most often at fault. For all accident types, improper, automobile operation, excessive speed of both vehicle and poor training or experience of the motorcyclist are the primary causes of accidents. The most frequent impact types are: deflection, ejection, direct impact and grounding. The most common injuries are to the lower and upper extremities. Injuries to the head for this largely helmeted population constitute 14% of all injuries. The motorcycle accident injury situation can best be improved by the introduction of (A) more and more effective motorcycle training programmes (B) better traffic control especially at intersections (C) improved arm and leg protection and (D) more effective helmets. /TRRL/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the Meeting on Biomechanics of Injury.
• Corporate Authors:

  IRCOBI (International Research Council on the Biokinetics of Impacts)

  109 Avenue Salvador Allende
  Bron CEDEX,   France  F-69675
• Authors:
  • NEWMAN, J A
• Publication Date: 1976-9

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 250-259
• Serial:
  • Publication of: IRCOBI SECRETARIAT
  • Publisher: IRCOBI (International Research Council on the Biokinetics of Impacts)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Arm; Conferences; Crash investigation; Crash severity; Crashes; Driver experience; Driver training; Drivers; Helmets; Human beings; Human characteristics; Injuries; Injury severity; Knowledge; Leg; Motorcyclists; Protective clothing; Traffic control
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver characteristics
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1661: Accident prevention; 1757: Age; 2012: Arm (human); 8018: Canada; 8525: Conference; 1687: Crash helmet; 1571: Driver training; 2225: Experience (human); 1602: Fatality; 1640: Head on collision; 9108: Improvement; 2163: Injury; 455: Junction; 2023: Leg (human); 1787: Man; 1221: Motorcycle; 1752: Motorcyclist; 1508: Offender; 1623: Severity (accid, injury); 6555: Statistics; 654: Traffic control; 6783: Visibility
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I80: Accident Studies; I81: Accident Statistics; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00148067
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 2 1977 12:00AM