Failing to give way most common factor in bike crashes: research

THE most common factor in motorbike accidents in Victoria is a failure of other drivers to give way, a study has found.

‘For every 10-year increase in rider age, there was a 38 per cent decrease in rider error.’ Picture: Getty Images

THE most common factor in motorbike accidents in Victoria is a failure of other drivers to give way, a study has found.

Drivers often make errors in scanning traffic, including failing to see the motorcyclist.

In single-bike crashes, rider error and loss of control was the most common main factor, found the report, in the Transportation Research journal.

Trevor Allen, from the Mon­ash University Research Centre, said human error was the primary contributor in 94 per cent of accidents.

“We ultimately want a road system that accommodates for human error to minimise the risk of serious injury crashes,’’ Dr Allen said.

The research found that the older the rider, the less likely it was that the rider was primarily to blame for the accident.

“For every 10-year increase in rider age, there was a 38 per cent decrease in rider error as the judged primary contributing factor,’’ the report said.

This suggested older riders were able to employ safer riding strategies than younger riders, Dr Allen said.

The motorcycle crash research studied 235 accidents, in which injured riders were taken to hospital, between January 2012 and August 2014.

Nurses at the hospitals and crash scene investigators ­compiled details from the ­accidents.

In areas of higher traffic density, such as urban areas, riders were more likely to be at fault in multi-vehicle crashes.

“Higher traffic density leads to more hazards and a higher level of difficulty for riders to move safely in and among traffic, compared with other vehicles,’’ Dr Allen said.

In areas with less traffic, it was drivers who were more likely to cause accidents.

“Motorcycle crashes occurring in lighter traffic more likely involved an error by the other driver, including failing to give way,’’ Dr Allen said.

“Perhaps this relates to driver perceptual failures being more common when there is only one approaching vehicle in the path of the driver — such as a motorcyclist,’’ Dr Allen said.

The number of registered motorcycles and scooters in Victoria rose by 33 per cent between 2007 and 2012, and the study was done in response to an increase in injuries to ­motorbike riders.

@IanRoyall

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