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A
Summary
of
the
Hurt
Study
Findings:
Motorcycle
Accident
Cause
Factors
and
Identification
of
Countermeasures
A
motorcycle
accident
study
offers
you
and
your
students
a
wealth
of
information
about
accidents
and
how
to
avoid
them.
The
"Motorcycle
Accident
Cause
Factors
and
Identification
of
Countermeasures,"
is
a
study
conducted
by
the
University
of
Southern
California
(USC).
With
funds
from
the
National
Highway
Traffic
Safety
Administration,
researcher
Harry
Hurt
investigated
almost
every
aspect
of
900
motorcycle
accidents
in
the
Los
Angeles
area.
Additionally,
Hurt
and
his
staff
analyzed
3.600
motorcycle
traffic
accident
reports
in
the
same
geographic
area.
Reprinted
here
for
your
information
and
use
are
the
findings.
The
final
report
is
several
hundred
pages.
If
you
choose
to
have
this
document
in
your
resource
library,
the
order
information
is:
Motorcycle
Accident
Cause
Factors
and
Identification
of
Countermeasures,
Volume
1:
Technical
Report,
Hurt,
H.H.,
Ouellet,
J.V.
and
Thom,
D.R.,
Traffic
Safety
Center,
University
of
Southern
California,
Los
Angeles,
California
90007,
Contract
No.
DOT
HS-5-01160,
January
1981
(Final
Report).
This
document
is
available
through:
The
National
Technical
Information
Service,
Springfield,
Virginia
22161
"Motorcycle
Accident
Cause
Factors
and
Identification
of
Countermeasures".
Findings
Throughout
the
accident
and
exposure
data
there
are
special
observations
which
relate
to
accident
and
injury
causation
and
characteristics
of
the
motorcycle
accidents
studied.
These
findings
are
summarized
as
follows:
1.
Approximately
three-fourths
of
these
motorcycle
accidents
involved
collision
with
another
vehicle,
which
was
most
usually
a
passenger
automobile.
2.
Approximately
one-fourth
of
these
motorcycle
accidents
were
single
vehicle
accidents
involviing
the
motorcycle
colliding
with
a
roadway
or
some
fixed
object
in
the
enviroment.
3.
Vehicle
failure
accounted
for
less
than
3%
of
these
motorcycle
accidents,
and
most
of
those
were
single
vehicle
accidents
where
control
was
lost
due
to
puncture
flat.
4.
In
the
single
vehicle
accidents,
motorcycle
rider
error
was
present
as
the
accident
precipitating
factor
in
about
two-thirds
of
the
cases,
with
the
typical
error
being
a
slide
out
and
falls
due
to
over
braking
or
running
wide
on
a
curve
due
to
excess
speed
or
under-cornering.
5.
Roadway
defects
(pavement
ridges,
potholes,
etc.)
were
the
accident
cause
in
2%
of
the
accidents;
animal
involvement
was
1%
of
the
accidents.
6.
In
the
multiple
vehicle
accidents,
the
driver
of
the
other
vehicle
violated
the
motorcycle
right-of-way
and
cause
the
accident
in
two-thirds
of
those
accidents.
7.
The
failure
of
motorists
to
detect
and
recognize
motorcycles
in
traffic
is
the
predominating
cause
of
motorcycle
accidents.
The
driver
of
the
other
vehicle
involved
in
collision
with
the
motorcycle
did
not
see
the
motorcycle
before
the
collision,
or
did
not
see
the
motorcycle
until
too
late
to
avoid
the
collision.
8.
Deliberate
hostile
action
by
a
motorist
against
a
motorcycle
rider
is
a
rare
accident
cause.
The
most
frequent
accident
configuration
is
the
motorcycle
preceding
straight
then
the
automobile
makes
a
left
turn
in
front
of
the
oncoming
motorcycle.
9.
Intersections
are
the
most
likely
place
for
the
motorcycle
accident,
with
the
other
vehicle
violating
the
motorcycle
right-of-way,
and
often
violating
traffic
controls.
10.
Weather
is
not
a
factor
in
98%
of
motorcycle
accidents.
11.
Most
motorcycle
accidents
involve
a
short
trip
associated
with
shopping,
errands,
friends,
entertainment
or
recreation,
and
the
accident
is
likely
to
happen
in
a
very
short
time
close
to
the
trip
origin.
12.
The
view
of
the
motorcycle
or
the
other
vehicle
involved
in
the
accident
is
limited
by
glare
or
obstructed
by
other
vehicles
in
almost
half
of
the
multiple
vehicle
accidents.
13.
Conspicuity
of
the
motorcycle
is
a
critical
factor
in
the
multiple
vehicle
accidents,
and
accident
involvement
is
significantly
reduced
by
the
use
of
motorcycle
headlamps
(on
in
daylight)
and
the
wearing
of
high
visibility
yellow,
orange,
or
bright
red
jackets.
(Note:
the
statistics
which
have
just
been
released
here
in
Austrailia
-
August
1996,
DO
NOT
SHOW
that
"Lights
on"
legislation
has
worked!)
14.
Fuel
system
leaks
and
spills
were
present
in
62%
of
the
motorcycle
accidents
in
the
post-crash
phase.
This
represents
an
undue
hazard
for
fire.
15.
The
median
pre-crash
speed
was
29.8
mph,
and
the
median
crash
speed
was
21.5
mph,
and
the
one-in-a-thousand
crash
speed
is
approximately
86
mph.
16.
The
typical
motorcycle
pre-crash
lines-of-sight
to
the
traffic
hazard
portray
no
contribution
of
the
limits
of
peripheral
vision;
more
than
three-fourths
of
all
accident
hazards
are
within
45
degrees
of
either
side
of
straight
ahead.
17.
Conspicuity
of
the
motorcycle
is
most
critical
for
the
frontal
surfaces
of
the
motorcycle
and
rider.
18.
Defects
related
to
accident
causation
are
rare
and
likely
to
be
due
to
deficient
or
defective
maintenance.
19.
Motorcycle
riders
between
the
ages
of
16
and
24
are
significantly
over-represented
in
accidents;
motorcycle
riders
between
the
ages
of
30
and
50
are
significantly
under
represented.
Although
the
majority
of
the
accident-involved
motorcycle
riders
are
male
(96%),
the
female
motorcycle
riders
are
significantly
over
represented
in
the
accident
data.
20.
Craftsmen,
laborers,
and
students
comprise
most
of
the
accident-involved
motorcycle
riders.
Professionals,
sales
workers,
and
craftsmen
are
under
represented
and
laborers,
students
and
unemployed
are
over-represented
in
the
accidents.
21.
Motorcycle
riders
with
previous
recent
traffic
citations
and
accidents
are
over
represented
in
the
accident
data.
22.
The
motorcycle
riders
involved
in
accidents
are
essentially
without
training;
92%
were
self-taught
or
learned
from
family
or
friends.
Motorcycle
rider
training
experience
reduces
accident
involvement
and
is
related
to
reduce
injuries
in
the
event
of
accidents.
23.
More
than
half
of
the
accident-involved
motorcycle
riders
had
less
than
5
months
experience
on
the
accident
motorcycle,
although
the
total
street
riding
experience
was
almost
3
years.
Motorcycle
riders
with
dirt
bike
experience
are
significantly
under
represented
in
the
accident
data.
24.
Lack
of
attention
to
the
driving
task
is
a
common
factor
for
the
motorcyclist
in
an
accident.
25.
Amost
half
of
the
fatal
accidents
show
alcohol
involvement.
26.
Motorcycle
riders
in
these
accidents
showed
significant
collision
avoidance
problems.
Most
riders
would
over
brake
and
skid
the
rear
wheel,
and
under
brake
the
front
wheel
greatly
reducing
collision
avoidance
deceleration.
The
ability
to
counter
steer
and
swerve
was
essentially
absent.
27.
The
typical
motorcycle
accident
allows
the
motorcyclist
just
less
than
2
seconds
to
complete
all
collision
avoidance
action.
28.
Passenger-carrying
motorcycles
are
not
over
represented
in
the
accident
area.
29.
The
driver
of
the
other
vehicles
involved
in
collision
with
the
motorcycle
are
not
distinguished
from
other
accident
populations
except
that
the
ages
of
20
to
29
and
beyond
65
are
over
represented.
Also,
these
drivers
are
generally
unfamiliar
with
motorcycles.
30.
The
large
displacement
motorcycles
are
under
represented
in
accidents
but
they
are
associated
with
higher
injury
severity
when
involved
in
accidents.
31.
Any
effect
of
motorcycle
color
on
accident
involvement
is
not
determinable
from
these
data,
but
is
expected
to
be
insignificant
because
the
frontal
surfaces
are
most
often
presented
to
the
other
vehicle
involved
in
the
collision.
32.
Motorcycles
equipped
with
fairings
and
windshields
are
under
represented
in
accidents,
most
likely
because
of
the
contribution
to
conspicuity
and
the
association
with
more
experienced
and
trained
riders.
33.
Motorcycle
riders
in
these
accidents
were
significantly
without
motorcycle
license,
without
any
license,
or
with
license
revoked.
34.
Motorcycle
modifications
such
as
those
associated
with
the
semi-chopper
or
cafe
racer
are
definitely
over
represented
in
accidents.
35.
The
likelihood
of
injury
is
extremely
high
in
these
motorcycle
accidents-98%
of
the
multiple
vehicle
collisions
and
96%
of
the
single
vehicle
accidents
resulted
in
some
kind
of
injury
to
the
motorcycle
rider;
45%
resulted
in
more
than
a
minor
injury.
36.
Half
of
the
injuries
to
the
somatic
regions
were
to
the
ankle-foot,
lower
leg,
knee,
and
thigh-upper
leg.
37.
Crash
bars
are
not
an
effective
injury
countermeasure;
the
reduction
of
injury
to
the
ankel-foot
is
balanced
by
increase
of
injury
to
the
thigh-upper
leg,
knee,
and
lower
leg.
38.
The
use
of
heavy
boots,
jacket,
gloves,
etc.,
is
effective
in
preventing
or
reducing
abrasions
and
lacerations,
which
are
frequent
but
rarely
severe
injuries.
39.
Groin
injuries
were
sustained
by
the
motorcyclist
in
at
least
13%
of
the
accidents,
which
typified
by
multiple
vehicle
collision
in
frontal
impact
at
higher
than
average
speed.
40.
Injury
severity
increases
with
speed,
alcohol
involvement
and
motorcycle
size.
41.
Seventy-three
percent
of
the
accident-involvement
motorcycle
riders
used
no
eye
protection,
and
it
is
likely
that
the
wind
on
the
unprotected
eyes
contributed
in
impairment
of
vision
which
delayed
hazard
detection.
42.
Approximately
50%
of
the
motorcycle
riders
in
traffic
were
using
safety
helmets
but
on
40%
of
the
accident-involved
motorcycle
riders
were
not
wearing
helmets
at
the
time
of
the
accident.
43.
Voluntary
safety
helmet
use
by
those
accident-involved
motorcycle
riders
was
lowest
for
untrained,
uneducated,
young
motorcycle
riders
on
hot
days
and
short
trips.
44.
The
most
deadly
injuries
to
the
accident
victims
were
injuries
to
the
chest
and
head.
45.
The
use
of
the
safety
helmet
is
the
single
critical
factor
in
the
prevention
of
reduction
of
head
injury;
the
safety
helmet
which
complies
with
FMVSS
218
is
a
significantly
effective
injury
countermeasure.
46.
Safety
helmet
use
caused
no
attenuation
of
critical
traffic
sounds,
no
limitation
of
precrash
visual
field,
and
no
fatigue
or
loss
of
attention;
no
element
of
accident
causation
was
related
to
helmet
use.
47.
FMVSS
218
provides
a
high
level
of
protection
in
traffic
accidents,
and
needs
modification
only
to
increase
coverage
at
the
back
of
the
head
and
demonstrate
impact
protection
of
the
front
of
full
facial
coveral
helmets,
and
insure
all
adult
sizes
for
traffic
use
are
covered
by
the
standard.
48.
Helmeted
riders
and
passengers
showed
significantly
lower
head
and
neck
injury
for
all
types
of
injury,
at
all
levels
of
injury
severity.
49.
The
increased
coverage
of
the
full
facial
coverage
helmet
increases
protection,
and
significantly
reduces
face
injuries.
50.
There
is
not
liability
for
neck
injury
by
wearing
a
safety
helmet;
helmeted
riders
had
less
neck
injuries
than
no
helmet
riders.
Only
four
minor
injuries
were
attributable
to
helmet
use,
and
in
each
case
the
helmet
prevented
possible
critical
or
fatal
head
injury.
51.
Sixty
percent
of
the
motorcyclists
were
not
wearing
safety
helmets
at
the
time
of
the
accident.
Of
this
group,
26%
said
they
did
not
wear
helments
because
they
were
uncomfortable
and
inconvenient,
and
53%
simply
had
no
expectation
of
accident
involvement.
52.
Valid
motorcycle
exposure
data
can
be
obtained
only
from
collection
at
the
traffic
site.
Motor
vehicle
or
driver
license
data
presents
information
which
is
completely
unrelated
to
actual
use.
53.
Less
than
10%
of
the
motorcycle
riders
involved
in
these
accidents
had
insurance
of
any
kind
to
provide
medical
care
or
replace
property.
Steve
Lea
Joplin
H.O.G.
Safety
Officer
sllea@cableone.net
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