A Tribe Talk© dialog on May 10, 2020 with Dr. Dan Petterson from Skilled Motorcyclist Association (SMARTER-usa.org) highlighted some well-thought recommendations on improving motorcycle rider education. Dr. Peterson based his opinion on a review of the most contemporary studies while asserting there is a paucity in many cases and methodological shortcomings in the historical research.
Some compelling evidence was presented, including a common thread that most training focuses too much on operational skills, IE, manipulation of the controls. Many studies suggest there is not enough emphasis on cognition, perception, judgment, and decision making as associated with the behavioral aspects of operating a motorcycle. Most statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2019) and from Virginia Tech’s MSF 100 Naturalistic Riding Study, support rider decision error as a primary factor in crashes (Oliver, 2016). Motorcycle riders tend to make questionable decisions that create elevated crash risks, and up to 65% of documented crashes are within the control of the Motorcyclist.
Dr. Petterson recommended an increased focus in training dedicated to hazard perception, decision making, judgment, responsibility, attitudes, and risk-taking. He also advises exposing students to the importance of adhering to roadway laws and the dangers of riding on public roadways. Many of these recommendations are vital portions of the off-bike training in current curriculums. Still, as COVID response alterations are invoked, they are also the exact points of information being diminished.
Some programs are considering the decrease in the cost of training by eliminating or changing the curriculum to reduce the amount of student classroom time in courses. This is done by switching to electronic or online learning methods, or by decreasing or eliminating training that is not on the motorcycle. This drift back to previous and antiquated strategies of operational skill over behavior and judgment seems to be antithetical to the most consistent and valid parts of the present research. Even moving the behavioral material to an electronic method of delivery could potentially decrease effectiveness as behavioral concepts are better reinforced in a collaborative and social learning setting (Bandura, 1977; Skinner, 1968).
Two ideas to take away from the workshop stand out and deserve our attention. There is a greater necessity to focus on the behavioral components embedded in good motorcycle rider education. The trend in removing or decreasing those components can be detrimental to the process, where a social learning construct is considered a significantly better method. Perhaps it is time to have a more thorough discussion before implementing long-term changes. New research could validate the effectiveness by comparing proposed changes to current methodologies before widespread implementation takes hold.
References
Bandura, A. (1977) Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2019, July). Traffic safety facts 2017 data: Motorcycles. (Report No. DOT HS 812 785). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812785
Oliver, L. (2016, November 21). What Virginia tech learned about how and why we crash our motorcycles. Revzilla – Common Tread. Retrieved from https://www.revzilla.com/ common-tread/ what-virginia-tech-learned-about-how-and-why-we-crash-our-motorcycles
Skinner, B. F. (1968). The technology of teaching. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
