motorcycle protective gear: are we really protected?
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Motorcycle Protective Gear: Are We Really Protected?. Wayne State University Transportation Research Group Deborah. S. McAvoy, PE, PTOE. Introduction – National Trends. Each Year Motorcycle Crashes Claim Thousands of Lives Between 1995 and 2005 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Motorcycle Protective Gear:
Are We Really Protected?
Wayne State University
Transportation Research Group
Deborah. S. McAvoy, PE, PTOE
Introduction – National Trends Each Year Motorcycle Crashes Claim
Thousands of Lives
Between 1995 and 2005 Motor Vehicle Fatality Rates DecreasedDecreased 4.4% Motorcycle Fatality Rates IncreasedIncreased 6.5%
Introduction – National TrendsMotorcycles Verses Motor Vehicles
National Fatality Rates
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
4519
95
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
Fat
alit
y R
ate
(per
HM
VM
T)
Motorcycle Fatality Rate Motor Vehicle Fatality Rate
Introduction – National Trends Each Year Tens of Thousands of
Motorcycle Riders Suffer Injuries
Between 1995 and 2005 Motor Vehicle Injury Rates DecreasedDecreased 1.6% Motorcycle Injury Rates IncreasedIncreased 2.9%
Introduction – National TrendsMotorcycle Verses Motor Vehicle National Injury Rates
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
80019
95
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
Inju
r R
ate
(per
HM
VM
T)
Motorcycle Injury Rate Motor Vehicle Injury Rate
Introduction – Michigan Trends 2005 Fatality Rates
Motorcycles: 16.016.0 fatalities per HMVMT Motor Vehicles: 1.11.1 Fatalities per HMVMT
Between 1995 and 2005 Motor Vehicle Fatalities DecreasedDecreased 3.0% Motorcycle Fatalities IncreasedIncreased 4.1%
Introduction – Michigan Trends
Michigan Motorcycle Fatalities
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
14019
95
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f F
atal
itie
s
Motorcycles Fatalities
Introduction – Michigan Trends Between 1995 and 2005
Motor Vehicle Injuries Decreased 4.7% Motorcycle Injuries Increased 2.2%
Introduction – Michigan TrendsMichigan Motorcycle Injuries and PDO
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
Num
ber
of T
ype
A
and
B In
juri
es
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
Num
ber
of T
ype
C
Inju
ries
and
PD
O
Motorcycles Injuries Type A Motorcycles Injuries Type B
Motorcycles Injuries Type C Motorcycles PDO
Motorcycle Crashes Rider is Not Protected by Motorcycle
Drivers of Motor Vehicles are Protected by the Vehicle
Enclosed Compartment Sheet Metal Air Bags Safety Belts
Required for front-seat occupants per Michigan Vehicle Code Public Act 300 Section 257.710e
Motorcycle Crashes Only Protective Gear can Provide
Barrier Between Rider and Roadway Leather Jacket Leather Pants Above Ankle Boots Gloves Elbow/Shoulder Pads Knee Pads Goggles Helmets
Required for per Michigan Vehicle Code Public Act 300 Section 257.658
Motorcycle Helmets Provide Protection
Serious Brain Injuries Death
20 States Require Use of Helmets 27 States Require Use of Helmets for
those Under 18 (Typically) 3 States Don’t Require Any Helmets
Colorado, Illinois, Iowa
Helmet Laws Impacts on States After Repealing Full Helmet Use Law
(Under 18 or 21 Required Only) Kentucky’s Helmet Use Rate Dropped from
96% to 56% Louisiana's Helmet Use Rate Dropped from
100% to 52% Fatalities Increased by 170% Between 1997
and 2002 Injuries Increased by 58% Between 1997 and
2002 Arkansas’s Non-Helmeted Death Rates
Increased from 39.6% to 75.5%
Helmet Laws Impacts on States
Florida Motorcycle Fatality and Registration Trends
305
216236
255
345
375
177
203 203
385
177
287
319
432
365
184
160
183
259
181
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Calendar Year
No
. of
Re
gis
tere
d M
oto
rcy
cle
in T
ho
us
an
ds
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
No
. of
Mo
torc
yc
le F
ata
litie
s
No. of Registered Motorcycle in Thousands Motorcycle Fatalities
M otorcycle Registration in Thousands
M otorcycle Fatalities
**
* Source: ABATE Report
Helmet Laws Impacts on States Five-year Before (1995-1999) and After
(2000-2004) Helmet Law Repeal Study for Florida
Percent increase in Motorcycle Registration = 57.0%
Percent Increase in Motorcycle Fatalities = 99.4%
Motorcycle Observational Survey 1993 Helmet Use Rate Study (UMTRI)
99.4% Based upon 150 Motorcycle Rider
Observations
2006 Helmet Use Rate Study (WSU) 99.4% Based upon 2,274 Motorcycle Rider
Observations
Upper Body Clothing Total No. of
Observations Percent of Gear Use Percent of Helmet Use
No Shirt 5 0.2% 100% Leather Jacket 343 15.1% 99.4%
Other Long Sleeved Top 231 10.2% 99.6% Short Sleeved Top 1,695 74.5% 99.2%
Total 2,274 100% 99.3%
Lower Body Clothing Total No. of
Observations Percent of Gear Use Percent of Helmet Use
Leather Pants 41 1.8% 97.6% Other Full-Length Pants 1,960 86.2% 99.5%
Shorts 273 12.0% 97.8%
Total 2,274 100% 99.3%
Motorcycle Observational Survey Protective Gear Use Rates
Only 15.1% Wear Proper Upper Body Protection
Only 1.8% Wear Proper Lower Body Protection
Motorcycle Observational Survey Protective Gear Use Rates
Shoes Total No. of
Observations Percent of Gear Use Percent of Helmet Use
Above Ankle Boots 1,073 47.2% 99.6%
Closed-Toe Ankle Shoes 1,144 50.3% 99.0% Open-Toe Ankle Shoes 57 2.5% 96.5%
Total 2,274 100% 99.3%
Goggles Total No. of
Observations Percent of Gear Use Percent of Helmet Use
Not Worn 1,852 81.4% 99.5% Yes, Worn 422 18.6% 99.1%
Total 2,274 100% 99.3%
Motorcycle Observational Survey Protective Gear Use Rates
Body Armor Total No. of
Observations Percent of Gear Use Percent of Helmet Use
No Body Armor 1,547 68.0% 99.2%
Gloves 716 31.5% 99.4% Knee Pads 2 0.1% 100%
Upper Body Pads (Elbow or Shoulder)
2 0.1% 100%
Gloves and Knee Pads 2 0.1% 100%
Gloves and Upper Body Pads
2 0.1% 100%
Gloves, Knee Pads, and Upper Body Pads
3 0.1% 100%
Total 2,274 100% 99.3%
Motorcycle Observational Survey Helmet Types Observed
Half-Shell
Standard Open Face with Shield
Standard Open Face without Shield
Standard Full Face Helmet
Motorcycle Observational Survey Helmet Use by Type of Helmet
Half-Shell – Legal (DOT Approved) or Not?
Total Helmet Use Actual
Total # of Observations
Percent of Observations
No Helmet 17 0.7%
Half-shell Helmet 1,004 44.2%
Standard Open Face w/ Shield 323 14.2%
Standard Open Face w/o Shield 481 21.2%
Standard Full Face 449 19.7%
Total 2,274 100.0%
Half-Shell Helmet Issues DOT approved Helmets
Meet Minimum Levels of Performance Protect Head and Brain During Crash Thick Inner Liner Sturdy Chin Straps and Rivets Weigh Three Pounds No Protrusions DOT Sticker on Outside Back of Helmet
Half-Shell Helmet Issues DOT Stickers are Sold Separately for
Non-complying Helmets
Differentiating Between DOT Approved and Non-complying Helmets is Difficult in Visual Observations
Conclusions Motorcycle Riders in Michigan are NOT
Truly Protected From Death or Severe Injury 43.9% May Have Improper Helmets 84.9% Wear Improper Upper Body Clothing 12.0% Wear Shorts 52.8% Wear Improper Foot Protection 68.0% Do Not Wear Body Armor
Conclusions Michigan’s Actual Helmet (Proper) Use
Rate May Be As Low As:
55.5%55.5%