As published in the American Motorcyclist Magazine March 2020, and Linked in January 2020.
By Donald L. Green, January 6, 2020
When asking a motorcyclist why so many motorcycles are involved in crashes, we hear the generalized excuse that other drivers or “cagers” do not see motorcycles, and distracted drivers are the primary cause. Although both are somewhat true and supported by frequent national driving campaigns, rarely mentioned are the most overlooked and primary causes of motorcycle crashes. Using the latest information from 2017, as analyzed and published in June 2019 by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the most significant cause of motorcycle crashes seemed to point toward the riding habits and behavior of the motorcyclist. The crash information is further supported by ongoing research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study and has been since 2013 (Oliver, 2016).
Consider the following evidence, 76 percent of two-vehicle crashes involving motorcycles had impacts on the front of the motorcycle (NHTSA, 2019). Only seven percent of the crash impacts came from the rear. If we can agree rear impacts might be the fault of the other following vehicles, then we also must admit the documented 34 percent of front end crashes may very well be the consequence of less than reasonable riding skills instead of the other vehicles turning in front of or into motorcycles (NHTSA documented as 42 percent).
To dive deeper into the information, motorcyclists continually demonstrate they did not have enough control or space to either slow, stop, see, or avoid dangerous everyday traffic situations. Add this statistical information to the additional 23 percent of motorcycle crashes caused by motorcyclists crashing into fixed objects, and it again spotlights rider control issues overwhelmingly. Motorcyclists must admit to responsibility for the more significant portion of motorcycle crashes (65 percent calculated with NHTSA statistics) occurring away from intersections, emphasizing the need to relook why motorcycle crashes happen. VTTI research correlates the numbers, also reflecting that 65 percent of crashes are related to reasons within the motorcycle operator’s control (Oliver, 2016).
Motorcycling requires good judgment and the ability for a rider to control direction, following distance, speed, braking capabilities, and avoidance of hazards. To decrease crash trends among motorcycles, we can either correct our collective riding behaviors by increasing skill and judgment or wait for restrictive laws enacted to take away riding freedoms. Rider education courses like those provided by state programs and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation are a great way to gain skill, get to know other riders, and increase practical methods to survive the ride.
Resources
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
Donald L. Green
A lifetime motorcyclist, has more than 30 years’ experience in training, experiential learning, and organizational management. His eclectic background in leadership. Organizational change and quality assurance systems have been critical to his role in rider education. Certified by MSF since 2010, Don is an Army Veteran of the Iraq War and commissioned officer/helicopter pilot and a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His formal education includes a B.S. in Computer Science, an M.S. in Adult Education, and he is a doctoral student studying Adult Education at Maryville University, St. Louis, Missouri.
