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GHSA Policies & Priorities
Motorcyclists are over-represented in traffic crashes. Coupled with the greater vulnerability of the motorcyclist, this represents a serious highway safety problem. Hence, GHSA encourages funding for development, implementation, and evaluation of statewide comprehensive motorcycle safety programs. At a minimum, these programs should address rider training, protective gear use, impaired riding, operator licensing, motorist awareness and conspicuity.
Motocycle Helmet Laws
GHSA urges states to support the use of DOT-approved
helmets by motorcycle riders of all ages, oppose efforts
to repeal their universal motorcycle helmet laws and
adopt motorcycle helmet laws for all riders. States should
vigorously enforce their motorcycle helmet laws to ensure
that motorcyclists are not using helmets that do not meet
DOT-approved standards.
Motorcycle Operator Training
All states should require motorcycle operator training for
minors, novice and re-entry riders by qualified
instructors.
NHTSA, along with motorcycle organizations and other
stakeholders, should develop a model motorcycle
operator training program and quality control guidelines
for instructors, deploy them at selected locations and
then evaluate their effectiveness. Once the model
curricula and instructor guidelines are complete, then
states are encouraged to use them. States should also
examine their motorcycle crash data to determine if the
model training program should address specific state
problems by emphasizing certain situations or skills.
States should be encouraged to enhance their training.
Impaired Motorcycle Programs
Impaired motorcyclists are a substantial proportion of
total motorcycle fatalities and injuries. States should
develop and implement programs for the impaired
motorcyclist that include enforcement, sanctions
(including fines and vehicle sanctions), and publicity
about the enforcement effort. States are also encouraged
to develop, deploy and evaluate other initiatives that
discourage drinking and riding.
Licensing of Motorcyclists
All states should require motorcyclists to obtain a
motorcycle operator license and endorsement before
they ride on a public highway. In order to obtain the
license, motorcycle operators should be required to pass
knowledge, skills and vision tests unless the motorcyclist
can demonstrate that he/she has completed a stateapproved
operator training program. States should
actively enforce their motorcycle operator licensing laws.
NHTSA, along with motorcycle organizations and other
stakeholders, should develop a model motorcycle
operator licensing and testing program that includes
graduated licensing for motorcyclists. NHTSA should
ensure that this program measures the minimum skills
and knowledge needed for safe riding and should
evaluate its potential impact on crashes, fatalities and
injuries. Once completed, states should be encouraged
to implement the model program statewide, periodically
evaluate its effectiveness, and modify the program as
necessary.
Motorcycle Awareness Programs
States should undertake awareness programs to promote
motorcycle helmet use, publicize state motorcycling
licensing laws, discourage impaired riding, and encourage
the use of protective and conspicuous clothing as well as
increased conspicuity of the motorcycle. Additionally,
states should undertake public information campaigns
to raise motorists’ awareness about sharing the road with
motorcycles and should ensure that novice driver
education and training courses include instruction on
sharing the road with motorcycles.
Motorcycle Research
NHTSA should conduct a study on the causes of
motorcycle crashes so that effective countermeasures can
be developed and implemented.
Reports and Analyses
According to 2005 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), total traffic deaths in the United States in the last ten years have increased by 2 percent, while motorcycle rider deaths were up by 80 percent as compared to 1995. Motorcycle fatalities have increased each year since reaching an historic low in 1997.
Using data available through FARS, the Federal Highway Administration and the Motorcycle Industry Council, NHTSA published a paper analyzing how demographic changes in motorcycle ownership, rider age and motorcycle engine size have affected motorcycle crashes. The changes in behavioral issues among age groups relating to motorcycle riders in crashes (like alcohol involvement, speeding, helmet usage and licensing) were also analyzed.
Some interesting observations emerged:
- The number of registered motorcycles has been increasing, particularly in the on-highway category with a larger engine size. Between 1995-2004 the cumulative increase in the number of units sold is almost 128 percent. In 2003, nearly 4 million on-highway motorcycles were licensed.
- Crash data parallels registration data, showing a greater number of motorcycle rider fatalities involving a motorcycle with a larger engine size. The mean engine displacement has increased from 841 cc in 1995 to 1,015 cc in 2004. The data indicates a rise in the average age of motorcycle rider killed and greater involvement of motorcycles with larger engines in fatal crashes.
- The greatest increase in ownership has occurred in the 40 and above age category, which has also experienced the greatest increase in rider fatalities. The average age of motorcycle operators has increased every year since 1995. The mean age of a motorcycle owner in 1990 was 33.1 years, compared to 38.1 years in 1998 and 40.2 years in 2003.
- Among the fatally injured motorcycle operators, one-fourth were improperly licensed. From 1995 to 2004 the percentage of fatally injured motorcycle operators who were properly licensed has increased steadily. In 2004, the percentage of properly licensed motorcycle operators fatally injured in crashes reached an all time high of 75 percent, an increase of 12 percentage points compared to 63 percent in 1995. Still 25 percent of the operators killed in 2004 were riding a motorcycle with an improper license, by definition.
- Helmet use among fatally injured motorcycle riders in crashes has remained the same, above 50 percent for the last ten years. During the past decade states have begun repealing mandatory helmet use by all riders, in favor of requiring helmet use only for a specific segment of riders (typically those under 18 years of age).
- Speeding is decreasing but continues to be a significant contributing factor in motorcycle rider fatalities. A crash is considered to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. The percent of motorcycle rider fatalities in crashes where speeding was recorded as contributing factor decreased by 6 percentage points from 43 percent in 1995 to 37 percent in 2004.
- Motorcycle operators with Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher continue to be a major problem. The percent of fatally injured operators who had been drinking actually declined by 8 percentage points, from 42 percent in 1995 to 34 percent in 2004. However, a majority of operators killed who had been drinking were intoxicated with a BAC of .08 or higher. In 2004, there were 1,264 operators killed that had been drinking (BAC >.01), of which 1,025 (81 percent) were intoxicated (BAC .>08). Even though alcohol involvement among operators is declining, there is still an underlying problem because of the high proportion of operator fatalities with BACs over .08.
State Responses
States can use these types of data to help them find the right mix of rider education, enforcement and laws to decrease deaths and injuries resulting from motorcycle crashes. Current state approaches to address motorycle safety include:
- Mandatory rider education courses
- Special endorsements on driver licenses
- Reducing the number of impaired motorcyclists
- Increasing motorist awareness of motorcycles
- Increasing helmet use through education and/or legislation
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