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What Today’s Bikers Can Learn from the Hurt Report on Motorcycle Safety
What is the Hurt Report?
Although it was published in 1981, the Hurt Report is still considered the benchmark study on motorcycle safety and accident prevention. Named for its primary author, University of Southern California professor Harry Hurt, Jr., the 435-page study was initiated by the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA). Its official title is “Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures Volume I: Technical Report.”
The comprehensive report was the result of more than two years of research and data analysis. Investigators performed detailed on-scene analyses of 900 motorcycle accidents and examined police reports of 3,600 additional crashes throughout the City of Los Angeles. They collected approximately 1,000 different elements of data for each crash, including environmental conditions, vehicle damage, injuries, helmet use and in-person interviews with survivors.
For a summary of the most important findings from the Hurt Report, click here.
To read the full 435-page report, click here.
What Does the Hurt Report Reveal about Motorcycle Accidents?
Here are some of the most noteworthy findings of the Hurt Report, listed by category:
Facts about multi-vehicle accidents:
- About 75% of motorcycle accidents involved another vehicle, usually a passenger car
- The majority of those accidents were caused by drivers who failed to see the motorcycle in time to avoid a crash
- In two-thirds of the accidents, the driver of the motor vehicle violated the motorcyclist’s right of way
- Drivers violated the biker’s right-of-way and/or a traffic signal most frequently at intersections
- Passenger car drivers between 20 – 29 and over 65 were involved in motorcycle accidents more than motorists in other age groups
- Visibility (or lack thereof) was a critical factor in multi-vehicle accidents
- The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the accident was limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost half of the multi-vehicle accidents
Recommended reading: 6 Common Injuries Caused by Motorcycle Accidents in Michigan
Statistics on motorcyclists involved in accidents
- Riders between 16 – 24 had more accidents than other age groups
- Riders between 30 – 50 had significantly fewer accidents
- Motorcyclists with previous recent traffic citations were overrepresented in the accident data
- Most (92%) of the motorcyclists who had accidents were without any formal training or instruction
- 73% of riders involved in accidents did not use eye protection, which is believed to impair vision and increase the risk of a crash
- 60% of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at the time of the accident
- The majority of single-vehicle accidents were caused by motorcycle rider errors such as over-braking or running too wide on a curve due to speed or under-cornering
Other significant findings about motorcycle accidents
- Alcohol was a factor in half of all fatal motorcycle crashes
- Motorcyclists driving under the influence were unable to perform the functions necessary to avoid collisions, such as counter-steering and swerving
- Most motorcycle accidents happened during short trips, usually soon after the start of the trip
- Motorcyclists who use headlamps during day and night rides and wear high-visibility (yellow, orange or bright red) jackets have fewer accidents
- Injuries to victims’ chest and head were the most likely to cause death or serious consequences
- Wearing a properly fitted, DOT-approved safety helmet is the single most important way to prevent severe head injuries
Recommended reading: What Every Biker Should Know: A Basic Guide to Michigan Motorcycle Laws
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