Oklahoma State University will lead an ambitious new study with the Federal Highway Administration to better understand and prevent motorcycle crashes.
Between 1997 and 2008, motorcycle rider annual fatalities increased from 2,116 to 5,290 — a 150 percent jump, according to U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. In 2008 alone, deaths due to motorcycle crashes rose by an estimated 2.2 percent while all other vehicle classes saw reductions in fatalities.
The motorcycle crash causation study will be the federal government’s first major in-depth analysis of motorcycle safety in nearly three decades. A provision in the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU) requires the study.
OSU’s Oklahoma Transportation Center is one of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 10 National University Transportation Centers, and it receives federal grants to conduct transportation research.
“OSU is delighted to be the lead research institution for this important study,” said Dr. Alan Tree, associate dean for research in OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. “We expect very significant, scientifically valid results to emerge from this work and look forward to a very positive final outcome.”
Despite years of steadily improving highway safety and roadway fatalities at historic lows, motorcycle riders remain one of the highest-risk groups on America’s roads. Nearly 5,300 motorcycle riders died in roadway crashes in 2008, accounting for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities, and 96,000 were injured.
Researchers will evaluate data from hundreds of motorcycle crashes to help identify common factors — including road configurations, environmental conditions and rider experience. The study’s focus is to look at how these factors may be affected by countermeasures that, if effectively implemented, will prevent motorcycle crashes or lessen the harm when they occur.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a pilot study to develop the protocols for the full-scale causation research. NHTSA also was responsible for the earlier motorcycle causation study, which was completed in 1981.
I applaud the new study on the causes and prevention of motorcycle crashed. I am no rocket scientist but I believe based upon my handling of motorcycle accident cases in the State of California that it will be found that a large percentage of motorcycle accidents are caused by reckless and negligent cagers driving cars, trucks and other motor vehicles.
In my humble opinion more effort needs to be made in getting drivers of car to recognize that motorcyclist and bikers have the same right to share the road as they do, and that they need to pay more attention to look out for bikers and motorcyclist.
I further believe that there has been a vast increase in the number of motorcycles on the road and this has also led to an increase in motorcycle crashed and fatal motorcycle accidents.
We will have to wait and see.
Welcome, my name is 
It’s about time! Hopefully the data is widely released and every other state can take notice. It’s better all around for everyone to keep everyone on the road safe.
-BikerHiway
I can save y’all a BOATLOAD of effort and money. I can tell you -exactly- why more motorcyclists have been killed. What’s the single difference between drivers in 1997 and drivers now?
two words.
cell phones.
I was rear-ended by a bus on my bike (amazingly survived)…and the kid was 21, driving it like the little honda he commuted to work in, and was chatting his ass off on the phone.
In 1997, next to nobody had the little microwave distractions in their vehicles…and EVERYBODY was safer. Living in southern California, I cannot even count the number of people I see on the phone while driving (and it’s ILLEGAL here too). As much as I hate suggesting laws to try to get things accomplished…if we enact SERIOUS legislation to get people to shut up and drive…or face REAL penalties…we can save a lot of lives and a lot of unnecessary squeegee time on behalf of the cops, fire-dept, and so on.
Cheers,
-Chris
“I can save y’all a BOATLOAD of effort and money. I can tell you -exactly- why more motorcyclists have been killed. What’s the single difference between drivers in 1997 and drivers now?
two words.
cell phones.” Quoted For Truth!