A wrecked motorcycle lies at the the scene of a multi-motorcycle and trash truck accident on the Carefree Highway Thursday, March 25, 2010 in Phoenix, Ariz. Four people riding motorcycles were killed Thursday afternoon and five others critically injured when several bikes were struck by a truck hauling garbage on the Carefree Highway in north Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation today announced that it will partner with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) on a motorcycle safety study that will use small video recorders and instrumentation mounted on numerous bikes for 6-18 months to gather data about the riders and events that occur.
Termed a "naturalistic" study, VTTI has developed this technology and used it successfully to conduct a 100-car study in 2005 that included 69 crashes and more than 750 near-crashes. According to the MSF, "The method is presently in use by researchers across the globe to target nearly every type of roadway user, with the exception of two-wheeled vehicles. This study, expected to be on the road by early 2011, will greatly advance the understanding of interactions among rider, motorcycle, roadway, other roadway users and the environment."
VTTI Director Tom Dingus added that “We expect the study to be very valuable to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s work, since we also will examine where and how crash avoidance is successful. With so much information bandwidth coming from the cameras and instrumentation on each bike, we’ll be able to examine details for years, and the findings will be relevant for decades."
Following Congressional appropriation in 2005 of money for a new motorcycle crash, the MSF and other industry groups raised more than $3 million to match the federal money. However, the MSF decided not to release the money it raised for the study to be conducted by Dr. Samir Ahmed of Oklahoma State University when it developed that there would not be enough money to study the number of crashes many felt necessary to develop valid data.
Dr. Ahmed conducted a statistical analysis that challenged that conclusion but after reconsidering that analysis the MSF's decision is unchanged, and it will now move ahead with VTTI on this other study.
The MSF offered the following information about the naturalistic study.
- Naturalistic Method identifies crashes using time-series video and numeric data, reveals factors not detectable through crash investigation, creates its own controls by comparing the crash-involved rider to himself/herself at all other times, and permits quantification of rider performance and behavior in non-critical and critical riding
- Feasibility of Naturalistic Method on motorcycles has been proven by VTTI, but not yet implemented
- Study planning will occur in 2010; study will begin in 2011
- Initial MSF funding will exceed $1.25 million
- The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will document the interaction of rider attributes, behaviors, roadway, adjacent vehicles and environments as well as their relationship to crash prevalence and severity
- The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will identify differences between successful and unsuccessful evasive maneuvers
- The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will identify attributes and habits of safe riders
- Continuous collection of data with greater detail will enable comprehensive countermeasure development
- Compiled data set may be used to answer research questions that arise in the future
The MSF has also announced separately that it has significantly revamped its curriculum for the motorcycle rider training courses it sanctions through training organizations around the country.
Related articles
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New motorcycle safety study: Valid number of crashes to study is unknown
Some particulars clear, others still unclear in new motorcycle safety study
Motorcycle Safety Foundation open to reconsidering safety study funding
Analysis says valid motorcycle crash data achievable with available funding
Rationale of motorcycle crash study statistical analysis explained
MSF funding for crash study still looks like a no-go
MSF's motorcycle crash study reluctance challenged
MSF, VTTI to conduct 'naturalistic' motorcycle safety study
Motorcycle crash study will proceed without MSF money
MSF President Tim Buche discusses motorcycle safety studies
Comments
I think Dr. Ahmed's study would have been the best use of the money but am hoping that something, some time, will result in a better understanding of motorcycle crashes.
It's about time someone 'thought' of motorcycles. It seems when highways are designed and constructed, the motorcyclist is never considered when installing land dividers, etc. In Texas, we have what motorcyclists’ term as 'slice & dice' highway dividers. They're polls with cables stretched through them in a fence fashion. They're supposed to keep automobiles from crossing the medians into oncoming traffic. But if a biker hits one of those, - - hence the nick-name. I would hate a camera to document the result but I bet it would stop that design cold.
Hello Ken, great article. I was wondering if I could have permission to use the picture from this article for a presentation I am making on Friday about motorcycle safety.
Many thanks,
Tom
Tom--I'm sorry, I'm not in a position to grant that permission. It's an AP photo that I used through an arrangement Examiner has, or had--not sure which--with AP. On the other hand, if it's just a small private presentation I suspect you would not be violating any copyright laws, though I can't state that with total confidence.
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