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Title:

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
Cover of MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

Accession Number:

00783644

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

The number of people killed in motorcycle crashes in the United States increased dramatically in the decades prior to 1980, reaching a peak of 5,097 fatalities in that year. In the last two decades of the century, the nationwide incidence of motorcycle fatalities has declined, dropping to 2,106 fatalities per year in 1997, 62% below the 1980 peak. Some, but not all, of the drop can be attributed to a decline in riding. The fact that the decline in fatalities has far outstripped the decline in registrations, however, suggests that the widespread introduction of helmet laws, training programs, and public education campaigns during the last two decades has had a measurable impact on the number and severity of crashes. Even so, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has estimated that at the turn of the century, the mileage-based death rate for motorcycle riders will be roughly 16 times greater than the overall motor-vehicle death rate. The more than 2,000 deaths per year represented by this rate provide a significant impetus for motorcycle safety research and the introduction of countermeasures at the federal, state, and local levels. This paper further discusses motorcycle rider education programs, intoxication of motorcycle riders, motorcycle rider licensing and conspicuity.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper is available on the CD-ROM, Transportation in the New Millennium: State of the Art and Future Directions, Perspectives from Transportation Research Board Standing Committees. It is also available on the TRB website. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board


A3B05: Committee on Safety Data, Analysis, and Evaluation
Washington, DC 20418 United States

Authors:

Bednar, F
Billheimer, J W
McRea, K
Sabol, S A
Syner, J
THOM, D R

Pagination:

7 p.

Publication Date:

2000

Serial:

Transportation in the New Millennium

Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Subject Areas:

Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 20 2000 12:00AM