EffectiveSolutionsforImprovingMotorcyclistSafety

SkilledMotorcyclistAssociation–Responsible,TrainedandEducatedRiders,Inc.

2019LifesaversConference

SMARTERatwww.smarter-usa.org

DanPetterson,Ed.D.President/CEO

petterson@pobox.com

1

SMARTER•  501c3non-profiteducationassociation

•  Theone-stopspotforaccessingmotorcyclistsafetyresearch

•  SMARTERwantsmotorcycleriders,motorcyclistsafetyadvocatesandpolicydecisionmakerstomakeresponsibledecisionsbasedonfactualknowledgeandtheconclusionsofqualityresearch,therefore,ourmissionistogather,examine,catalogue,share,postanddistributemotorcyclistsafetyfactualinformationandresearchandtoadvocatefortheuseofsuchknowledgeasthebasisofdecisions.

2

Dan

•  AsCEOmyfocusforthepastdecadehasbeentoworktofulfillourmission–thereforeIhaveadecadeofexperiencesearchingfor,reading,examiningandcategorizingeverypieceofresearchrelatedtomotorcyclistsafetyissuesIcanfind.

•  Iamaridersince1963,aneducator,apastMSFRiderCoachandRiderCoachTrainer,contributortoMSFcurriculumdevelopmentandrecipientofacouplenationalawardsforcontributionstomotorcyclistsafety.

3

ResearchCategoriesonourWebsiteAlcohol(8)

Conspicuity(16)

CrashCausation(25)CrashInjuryOutcome(12)

Design(16)andEquipment(25)

Helmets&HelmetLaws(next)

LaneSplitting(9)

Licensing(4)MotoristAwareness(3)Overviews(10)ProtectiveGear(9)RoadsBarriers(18)Engineering/Infrastructure(7)Training(8)

4

Researchcont.•  HelmetsandHelmetLaws-#1-Theonlycountermeasureconsideredscientificallyproven

-Brainandheadinjury(22)-Economicimpact(24)-Helmeteffectiveness(15)-Helmetlaweffectiveness(19)(8)-Helmettypeandstyle(6)-Impactofrepeal(11)-Spineinjury(11)-Standardsandtesting(19)

5

ExaminingtheWorkshopTitleEffectiveSolutionsforImprovingMotorcyclistSafety

•  Effective–causingadesiredorintendedresult•  Solutions-thedesiredorintendedresult

1.Reducethenumberofcrashes2.Reducetheriskofdeathorinjuryintheeventofacrash3.Reducetheseverityofinjuryintheeventofacrash

•  Effectivesolutionsmustdooneormoreofthesethreethings.

•  MotorcyclistSafety–excellent–oureffortsareforpeoplenotmachine–ourworkisnotaboutmotorcyclesafety–Icankeepmymotorcyclesafebykeepingitlockedinthegarage.

6

Whywecare?Thereisasubstantialandgrowingcontributionofmotorcyclerelatedcrashestotheburdenofglobaltrauma.Thereisanimportantneedtofindeffectivewaystoimprovemotorcyclesafety.Inhighincomecountrysettingstherateofdeathandseriousinjuryformotorcyclistsis30–40timesthatofcaroccupants(Johnstonetal.,2008).InlowIncomesettingsroadinjuryisasignificantcontributortocatastrophichouseholdcosts(Nguyenetal.,2013)Motorcyclerelatedtraumaisarapidlygrowingpublichealthissue

7

TraditionalCountermeasures

Ourtraditionalmethodsarenoteffective-i.e.reducecrashes,reducedeathorinjuryintheeventofacrash,reduceseverityofinjuries.

-Ridertraining-Motoristawareness-Licensingandendorsement

Let’slookatthese3inabitmoredetail

8

RiderTraining

•  Themainfocusofcurrentridertrainingprogramsisonthephysicalskillsoperationskills.Theresearchoncurrenttrainingisinconclusiveatbestandatworstindicatestrainedridershaveanelevatedriskofcrashingoranincreasedlikelihoodofexhibitingriskyridingbehavior.

•  Trainingisveryeffectiveatteachingskillsthatmakeusmoreskillfulridersbutthereisnoindicationthatbetterskillsmakeussafer.

•  Consistentwithliteratureregardingdrivertraining

9

MotoristAwareness“LookTwicetoSaveaLife”

•  Noresearchandnodatatoindicateanyeffectiveness

•  Driversrememberthesignsbutthereisnoindicationrememberingthesignschangesbehavior

•  Suchprogramswerelogicalin1981whenHHHurtidentifiedtheproblemofdriverslookingbutnotseeingbutthisapproachisantiquatedandlongoutdated–doesnotaccountforwhatwehaveknowformorethantwodecadesabouthowoureyesandmindworktogetherto“see”

10

LicensingorEndorsement•  Weknowthatunlicensedorunendorsedridersare

overrepresentedinthecrashandfatalitydata.However,thatdoesn’tmeanthatthelicensingprocessactuallypreventsreducescrashrisk.Thelicensingprocessisskillbased–requiringaridertodemonstrateridingskillsand/orhavingsuccessfullycompletedatrainingcourse

•  Thecorrelation(betweenendorsementandcrash/fatalitymore

likelydemonstratesthatthelicensingprocessisnotundertakenbyriderswhomakelessthanresponsibledecisions

•  Irresponsiblebehaviorssuchasspeeding,drinking,notwearinga

helmetandnotbeinglicensedareoverrepresentedinthecrashdata.Speedinganddrinkingarelikelyfactorsthatcontributetocrashing.Notwearingahelmetandnothavinganendorsementare“ridealong”irresponsiblebehaviors.

11

PossibleFixes–RiderTrainingHowcouldtrainingbeimprovedtobecomeeffective?

Lessemphasisonskillandmoreon:HazardperceptionSituationalawarenessAttitudestorisk-takingJudgmentResponsibilityDecisionmaking

Progressiontoon-roadridinganddevelopingroadcraft(ridingintraffic)skillsthroughon-roadexperienceTrainingthroughextendedmentoring(RideSafeUS)vs.shorttermcourses

(Slide15–whatworks)

12

PossibleFixes–MotoristAwareness●Teachdriversanewmethodoflooking–a

specificwaytosearchforvulnerableroadusersthataddressestheavailableresearchaboutLookedButFailedtoSee–RightofWayViolation(LBFTSROWV)crashesandwhatweknowabouthowoureyesandmindworktogetherto“perceive.”SMARTERhasdevelopedaproposedsystem.

● Extremely focus/targeted efforts at identified locations or populations

13

PossibleFixesLicensingandEndorsements

Graduated,tieredorcombosystemsthatarefocusedonresponsibilityandexperiencevs.skill.

Graduatedlicensing:aredesignedtoprovidenewriderswithdrivingexperienceandskillsgraduallyovertimeinlow-riskenvironments.Therearetypicallythreestepsorstagesthroughwhichnewdriverspass.

Tieredlicensing:requiresbeginnerriderstoridemachineswithrestrictedhorsepower/cclevels.

14

Basedontheresearchavailablewhatworks?

(1) Nosinglemeasure(2) Comprehensiveprograms–leavenostone

unturned(3) Welikelyshouldbetalkingaboutsystems

approaches–notsingleisolatedmeasures(4) Systemsapproachestoroadsafety.Shiftthe

focusawayfromafocusonroaduserbehaviortomodificationofthesystemfrommultipleperspectives,includingroadsandroadsides,vehicles,speedandroadusers.

15

CountermeasuresthatWork•  Astronggovernmentroleinsettinglegislationandpolicyenforcement

•  Strongpoliceenforcement-alcohol,speeding,helmetuse

•  Improvingpost-crashresponse

•  Graduated/tieredlicensing

•  Conspicuityenhancementforriderandmachine–uniquefrontallighting•  Anti-lockbrakes&stabilitycontrolsystems•  Alcoholinterlocks•  Black(blind)spottreatments

•  Protectivegearuse–armor&airbaggear•  Helmetuse–all-riderhelmetlaws–the#1

16

Wheretofindasummary•  SMARTERatwww.smarter-usa.org

-Research-Overviews-2018–“CountermeasuresthatWork– WhattheResearchTellsUs”

17

18