The safety of motorcyclists at the lowest level / Motonovy / BikePost

As the motorcycle industry moves towards a new, brighter and cleaner future, we can stop and take stock of the current safety situation.

A recent Forbes report published a series of studies compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which stores information on all motorcycle and car accidents to use statistics to create a safer environment for all road users.

Recently, the number has been spoken in favor of cars and it is said that riding a motorcycle is a greater risk than many believe.

According to research on American roads, motorcycle deaths have risen to 21.46 per 100 miles. Statistics are taken into account from 2009 to 2018. In other words, the risk of being involved in a fatal motorcycle accident has increased by 15-21 percent, that is, 22 times higher than driving a car. By the way, the frequency of fatal accidents among motorists is the lowest in history – only 1.11 per 100 miles of run.

The statistics are fully consistent with the statements of the law firm HG.org, which deals with the safety of motorists.

• approximately 66 percent of accidents involve motorcyclists due to traffic violations by the motorcyclists themselves
• 98 percent of motorcycle accidents are not due to weather
• 62% of motorcycle accidents involve oil or fuel leaks
• Motorcycles are recalled by manufacturers more often than cars (record holder – Yamaha)

Such statistics forced the analysis and assessment of risks (HARAs – Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessments). HARAS contributes to the development of functional and technical safety concepts, which define the design requirements for new vehicles from a safety point of view.

According to a recent 2021 report to Congress, the National Safety Council urged the NTSHA to consider motorcycle design on the following points:

• make it mandatory to install systems that warn of an accident
• make ABS mandatory for all motorcycles (bikes without ABS are still being sold in the United States)
• development of standards for stability control systems on road bikes