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Motorcycle Accident Cause
Factors
and Identification of Countermeasures
The "Hurt" Study
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)
The Hurt study, published in 1981, was a ground-breaking report on the
causes and effects of motorcycle accidents. The study offers riders
insight into the statistics regarding motorcycle accidents and tips
on safer riding.
With funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
researcher Harry Hurt of the University of Southern California (USC),
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.
BISNAR | CHASE, California motorcycle accident attorneys, provides you
this study purely as information to assist you in making informed decisions
about your safety while riding.
Summary
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:
- Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved
collision with another vehicle, which was most usually a passenger automobile.
- Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single
vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway
or some fixed object in the environment.
- 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 a puncture flat.
- 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 fall due to over-braking
or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
- Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident
cause in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.
- In the multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle
violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds
of those accidents.
- 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.
- Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider
is a rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is
the motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left
turn in front of the oncoming motorcycle.
- 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.
- Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 45deg of either side
of straight ahead.
- Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical
for the frontal surfaces of the motorcycle and rider.
- Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely
to be due to deficient or defective maintenance.
- Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly
overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of
30 and 50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority
of the accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female
motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident
data.
- Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the accident-involved
motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are underrepresented
and laborers, students and unemployed are overrepresented in the accidents.
- Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents
are overrepresented in the accident data.
- 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 reduced injuries in the event of accidents.
- 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 underrepresented in the accident
data.
- Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the
motorcyclist in an accident.
- Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.
- Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision
avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel,
and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance
deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially
absent.
- The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less
than 2 seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.
- Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the accident
area.
- 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 overrepresented. Also,
these drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.
- The large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents
but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in
accidents.
- 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.
- Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are underrepresented
in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity
and the association with more experienced and trained riders.
- Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without
motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.
- Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the semi-chopper
or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.
- 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.
- Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot,
lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.
- Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction
of injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the
thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.
- The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing
or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely
severe injuries.
- 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.
- Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle
size.
- Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved 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.
- Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using
safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders
were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
- Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle
riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders
on hot days and short trips.
- The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to
the chest and head.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 coverage
helmets, and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the
standard.
- Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and
neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.
- The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases
protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.
- There is not liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet;
helmeted riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only
four minor injuries were attributable to helmet use, and in each case
the helmet prevented possible critical or fatal head injury.
- 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
helmets because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply
had no expectation of accident involvement.
- 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.
- Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents
had insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.
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