Motorcycle Accident Causation

There had been no Department Of Transportation (DOT) sponsored comprehensive study in the United States of motorcycle crashes since The Hurt Study in 1981 until the most recent comprensive study finalized in 2019.

The American Motorcyclist Association was a funding partner in this latest motorcycle crash causation study matching the funds the Federal Government made available.

The American Motorcyclist Association today praised the motorcycle industry for committing $2.8 million to make a new study into the causes of motorcycle crashes a reality. The motorcycle industry announced that it will provide the money through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation [...] "This commitment by the motorcycle industry is a vital ingredient in getting the first comprehensive study of the causes of motorcycle crashes in more than 25 years," said Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations. "We recognize and appreciate the investment the motorcycle industry is making in its customers. Without this financial support on their part, we could not have taken advantage of the federal funding we worked so hard to secure." The last major study into the causes of motorcycle crashes was completed in 1980. That study provided a wealth of data that has been used by organizations and individual motorcyclists to help keep riders safer on the road. But the traffic environment has changed enormously in the decades since, prompting the AMA to begin campaigning for a new study several years ago.

The goal of this study was to gain perspective into, "crash-causation factors that are specific to motorcycles and will be used to develop effective countermeasures, craft future safety standards, and reduce the risk of fatalities and injuries for motorcycle riders across the United States." This is the final report of that comprehensive motorcycle crash study finalized in 2019. (PDF)

In my experience most motorcycle riders are very safe and cautious, because they know their lives are on the line, the motorcycle crash causation studies illustrate this with facts.

The failure of motorists to see the motorcycle in traffic remains the predominant cause of car vs. motorcycle accidents.

The last motorcycle crash study was the Hurt Study conducted in 1976 and released in 1981 and found, "The most common motorcycle accident involves another vehicle causing the collision by violating the right-of-way of the motorcycle at an intersection, usually by turning left in front of the oncoming motorcycle because the car driver did not see the motorcycle."

The Hurt study, "looked at a total of 900 real-world motorcycle crashes and 2,310 control rider cases had been investigated and analyzed. To date, this study is still recognized as one of the seminal works in the area of motorcycle safety and has been used in the creation of motorcycle safety policy and countermeasure development for the last 30 years." This latest motorcycle crash study offers new information and is important because of lot of things have changed. The only protective equipment the motorcyclist had at the time of the Hurt Study was the helmet, but in the most recent comprehensive motorcycle crash study nearly 20% of the riders were wearing some sort of armor as motorcycle safety gear, a new attribute under clothing type is now being tracked.

What hasn't changed in 30 years, in the majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle vs. car crashes, the car driver didn't see the motorcycle at all or at least until it was too late to do anything to avoid the accident. A motorcycle accident typically gives the motorcycle rider less than two seconds to complete all accident avoidance maneuvers.

However, motorcyclists involved in both of these crash studies had poor accident avoidance skill. Motorcycle accidents commonly show problems with steering and braking. More experienced motorcyclists are actually under represented in crashes which might be partially because of their riding skills and ability to maneuver out of trouble. Data also shows us that street motorcycle riders with dirt bike riding experience are also underrepresented in motorcycle crash data suggesting that it is motorcycle riding experience that matters in gaining skills in motorcycle handling even on dirt bikes and off road; it's good news for motorcyclists who know they just want to spend more time riding motorcycles.

I am a big believer in motorcycle rider training and track days for these reasons and more.

In the past I offered a free PSSR track day with every motorcycle case I handled and I even sponsored an invited motorcycle rider track day with PSSR at Portland International Raceway (until the motorcycle instructors at PSSR retired).

Luckily we do have track days offered by Moto Corsa which are scheduled at Portland International Raceway and at The Ridge Raceway not too far away in Washington; we also have another facility where Skip Track Days offers motorcycle track days.

Motorcycle rider training at these types of track days offer experience with your motorcycle in a non traffic environment where you can push your skills to improve and really get to know your motorcycle. The help of other riders and coaches is also invaluable in helping you gain confidence and build new skills.

Below are some of the most recent motorcycle crash study findings of contributing factors which might help arm motorcyclists on the road with actionable knowledge they can use while they are riding in traffic. We also see that vehicle drivers need to also work on their driving skills and attention.

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3.1.3 Contributing-Factors Data

1. Roadway Design–Issue Crash Contribution

29 cases identified "Roadway-Design Issues" as a "Primary or Contributing Factor" in the crash.

79. Other Vehicle Driver's Attention Failure/Distraction or Stress Contribution to Crash Causation

In 43% of cases, "Attention Failure/Distraction/Stress" was identified as a factor in crash causation.

80. Other Vehicle Driver's Lane-Choice Contribution to Crash Causation

In 22% of multiple-vehicle crashes, the "Lane Choice Contributed to Crash Causation."

81. Other Vehicle Driver's Traffic-Scan Contribution to Crash Causation

In 70% of multiple-vehicle crashes, the OV driver's "Traffic Scan" contributed to the crash.

82. Other Vehicle Driver's Visual-Obstructions Contribution to Crash Causation

In 22% of multiple-vehicle crashes, "Visual Obstructions Were Present and Contributed to Crash Causation."

83. Other Vehicle Driver's Hazard Detection–Failure Contribution to Crash Causation

In 5% of multiple-vehicle crashes, temporary traffic obstructions were present and contributed to crash causation.

84. Other Vehicle Driver's Faulty Traffic–Strategy Contribution to Crash Causation

"Traffic Strategies Contributed to Crash Causation" in 50% of multiple- vehicle crashes.

85. Other Vehicle's Speed as Compared to Surrounding Traffic Contribution to Crash Causation

"Slow or Exceedingly High Speed Difference Caused or Contributed to Crash Causation" in 21% of multiple-vehicle crashes.

86. Other Vehicle's Position with Respect to Other Traffic Contribution to Crash Causation

"Position Relative to Other Traffic Contributed to Crash Causation" in 47% of multiple-vehicle crashes.

88. Other Vehicle Driver's Skills-Deficiency Contribution to Crash Causation

4.5% of multiple-vehicle crashes showed "Skills Deficiency Present as a Contributing Factor.

96. Other Vehicle Driver's Traffic Knowledge–Deficiency Contribution to Crash Causation

"Traffic Knowledge–Deficiency Contributed to Crash Causation" in 8% of multiple-vehicle crashes.

97. Other Vehicle Driver's Vehicle-Control-Skill-Deficiency Contribution to Crash Causation

"Inadequate Vehicle Control Skills Contributed to Crash Causation" in 4% of multiple-vehicle crashes.

98. Other Vehicle Driver's Aggressive-Attitude Contribution to Crash Causation

"Aggressive Attitude Contributed to Crash Causation" in 8% of multiple- vehicle crashes."

100. Other Vehicle Driver's Compensation-Failure Contribution to Crash Causation

"Compensation Failure Did Contributed to Crash Causation" in 20% of multiple-vehicle crashes.

101. Other Vehicle Driver's Unsafe-Act Contribution to Crash Causation

"Unsafe Act Contributed to Crash Causation" in 63% of multiple-vehicle crashes.

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The findings from the most recent comprehensive motorcycle crash causation study are not that different from the 1981 Hurt study. Sizes of motorcycle engines have changed significantly however since the Hurt Study with bigger engines being seen today.

Safety for motorcyclists has continued to decline since this motorcycle crash study findings were released in 2019.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data from 2021 illustrates how dangerous our roads are for motorcyclists:

• 2021 there were 5,932 motorcyclists killed, 14 percent of all traffic fatalities. This is the highest number of motorcyclists killed since FARS started data collection in 1975.
• The number of motorcyclist fatalities in 2021 increased by 8 percent from 2020, from 5,506 to 5,932.
• An estimated 82,686 motorcyclists were injured in 2021, a 5-percent increase from 78,944 motorcyclists injured in 2020.
• Per vehicle miles traveled in 2021, the fatality rate for motorcyclists (30.05) was almost 24 times the passenger car occupant fatality rate (1.26).
• Of the 5,932 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes, 95 percent (5,636) were riders and 5 percent (296) were passengers.
• There were an estimated 82,686 motorcyclists injured, a 5-percent increase from 78,944 motorcyclists injured in 2020.

According to the Oregon State Police (OSP) between January 1 of 2022 and February 1 2023 OSP has covered 251 crashes that involved motorcycles. 44 of these motorcycle crashes resulted in a fatality.

You can see in the Oregon county data below that some counties account for many of the crashes and fatalities, while some counties have no fatalities. Crash data lags in reporting in Oregon and the NHTSA, as well as differences in reporting by what type of road the crash is (within a city or on a Federal or state highway).

• BAKER COUNTY – 5 Crashes 1 Fatal
• CLACKAMAS – 29 Crashes 9 Fatal
• CLATSOP – 7 Crashes 3 Fatal
• COLUMBIA – 2 Crashes
• COOS – 12 Crashes
• CURRY – 6 Crashes 1 Fatal
• DESCHUTES – 11 Crashes 2 Fatal
• DOUGLAS – 10 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Grant – 2 Crashes
• Harney – 2 Crashes
• Hood River – 2 Crashes
• Jackson – 22 Crashes 5 Fatal
• Jefferson – 2 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Josephine – 8 Crashes 3 Fatal
• Klamath – 10 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Lake – 2 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Lane – 20 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Lincoln – 4 Crashes
• Linn – 11 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Malheur – 2 Crashes
• Marion – 19 Crashes 4 Fatal
• Multnomah – 2 Crashes
• Polk – 6 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Tillamook – 10 Crashes 4 Fatal
• Umatilla – 12 Crashes
• Union – 6 Crashes 3 Fatal
• Wallowa – 3 Crashes
• Wasco – 4 Crashes 1 Fatal
• Washington – 5 Crashes
• Wheeler – 3 Crashes

2022 was a bad year for motorcyclists not just in Oregon. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS):

• A total of 6,222 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2022. That is the highest number ever recorded and a 23% increase since 2019.
• Motorcycle deaths accounted for 15% of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2022 and were nearly triple the number of motorcyclist deaths in 1997.
• 56% of motorcyclist deaths in 2022 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways. Deaths were more likely to occur in urban than rural areas (66% vs. 34%).
• 37% of motorcyclist deaths in 2022 occurred in single-vehicle crashes, and 63% occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes.

2022 Fatal Motorcyclist Crash Characteristics

Some of the above findings may be different for Oregon motorcycle riders given that the more recent 2022 data provided by Oregon State Police, Multnomah County and Washington County had fewer motorcycle crashes and zero fatalities, but more rural areas like Linn County, Marion County, Clackamas County, Tillamook, Coos, Deschutes, Umatilla, and Klamath had both higher crashes and also fatalities. Comprehensive motorcycle crash causation studies provide much more information into why and how each of these crashes happen than we can otherwise discern.