Analysis of Motorcycle Crashes in Texas, 2010–2017

[paulcb]

Saw this over at TWT... Analysis of Motorcycle Crashes in Texas, 2010–2017

Some highlights from the article...

• On average there are 9,601 riders affected by a crash annually with an average of 479 fatalities and 1,988 suspected serious injuries annually.
• Motorcycle crashes are more severe than other types of crashes
  • 27% of motorcycle crashes were fatal or suspected serious injury compared to 3% of non-motorcycle crashes.
• Impairment is associated with motorcycle crash severity
  • 44% of fatal motorcycle crashes involved an impaired rider
  • 39% of DUI motorcycle operators with a fatal or serious suspected injury crash occurred on a crash compared to 24% of non-DUI motorcycle operators with a fatal or suspected serious injury crash
• Speeding is associated with motorcycle crash severity
  • 30% of fatal motorcycle crashes involved speeding as a contributing factor
• Rural motorcycle crashes are more severe and are more likely to involve an animal or curve compared to urban motorcycle crashes
  • 35% of rural motorcycle crashes were fatal or suspected serious injury compared to 22% of urban motorcycle crashes
  • 37% of rural fatal or suspected serious crashes involved an animal compared to 17% of urban fatal or suspected serious crashes
  • 56% of rural fatal or suspected serious crashes involved a curve compared to 44% of urban fatal or suspected serious crashes
• Riders who crash on curves die 8 times as often as non-motorcyclists
  • 8% of riders who crashed on a curved died compared to 1% of non-motorcyclists
• There were 2,531 operators and passengers of mopeds or scooters involved in crashes from 2010-2017
  • 52% of moped or scooter riders killed were not wearing a helmet
  • 42% of moped or scooter riders did not use a helmet compared to 36% of motorcyclists
  • 78% of fatal and suspected serious moped or scooter injuries occurred in urban areas

 

[v8-7]

Rural motorcycle crashes are more severe and are more likely to involve an animal or curve compared to urban motorcycle crashes

I wonder how much they paid to find out this tidbit of info...

 

[BakerBoy]

What is a "fatal or suspected serious injury"? Sounds like whoever produced the statistics took liberty with interpretation of events. (Yeah, I know, all statistics requires that.)

But overall, who wouldn't realize/know that severity in an accident is worse for motorcyclists than for 4-wheeled cages?

 

[SupraSabre]

"Speeding is associated with motorcycle crash severity "

How many of those crashes were from cages pulling out from the right, right in front of the rider and the left turner that "didn't see the motorcycle"?

 

[Upt' North]

I think I'm onto something, 44% of fatal motorcycle crashes (stupid terminology ?) involved an impaired rider.
So by my reckoning that means 56% aren't so impaired.
So it's safer to drink and ride!
I love statistics. I'm off to the boozer!
Upt'North.

 

[Al st1100]

better ride on the sidewalks...ain't safe on the streets!!

 

[ST Gui]

How many of those crashes were from cages pulling out from the right, right in front of the rider and the left turner that "didn't see the motorcycle"?

That would/should be a different stat completely.

Speeding is associated with motorcycle crash severity

The statement seems to refer to injury severity related to speed and not speed as a primary collision factor or even a collision factor at all. 'Speed' would probably be more accurate than 'Speeding' though that could be debated.

 

[st11ray]

Anything about helmet vs no helmet vs half helmet etc?

 

[paulcb]

The full report (PDF) is here.

 

[Mellow]

That's it... I'm not riding in Texas any more.

 

[BakerBoy]

....
The statement seems to refer to injury severity related to speed and not speed as a primary collision factor or even a collision factor at all. 'Speed' would probably be more accurate than 'Speeding' though that could be debated.

That was my thought as well. I suspect it may have been more fitting to use the word "speed" instead of "speeding". Who doesn't know that higher speeds are always worse in a crash (auto or motorcyclecrash)?

I also notice the word "associated" in the summary. "Association" is just a more routine word than using the statisticians word of "correlation". And there's a saying/reminder amongst statisticians: "correlation is NOT causation". Correlation (or association) is not proof or explanation. Ie, it shouldn't be interpreted to mean that speed (or lack of helmets or the curve itself or animals or DUI ... ) caused the crash, but it can mean that it is associated with the crash.

To illustrate: here's the same logic errantly used as causation:

• Apples are red.
• Apples are fruit.
• Therefore red is associated/correlated with fruit.
• So, anything red is fruit.

By applying correlation as causation: When we see a red car driving by, it can only be fruit (or an apple) driving by.

 

[ST Gui]

Hm.

Vehicles considered to be at fault due to conspicuity issues were those with a contributing factor assigned to the vehicle as follows: (1) changed lane when unsafe, (2) driver inattention, (3) failed to yield right of way—turning left, (4) failed to yield right of way—turn on red, (5) failed to yield right of way—yield sign, or (6) impaired visibility.

That phrase above bothers me. Even with context it feels like blame is established because of the motorcycle's lack of conspicuity. Taken out of context this would allow some readers to think that the motorcyclist shared blame if not liability for collision factors 1-6.

The report also discusses costs to motorcyclists as the result of death or serious collision. Without reading the whole report I get a feeling of bias and not a good one.

 

[ST Gui]

By applying correlation as causation: When we see a red car driving by, it can only be fruit (or an apple) driving by.

'When we see a motorcycle driving by it can only be speeding to a crash.'

Yes, they should have really chosen their language more carefully. I don't know if I want to bother reading any more.

'I've read the Hurt report.
And authors- you are no Harry Hurt.'

 

[Al st1100]

That's it... I'm not riding in Texas any more.

Isn't there a song about Xs' in Texas.? Is there anything mentioned about Xs' involved? I have known a few women( in my younger days ) that might want to run me over!

 

[SMSW]

What is a "fatal or suspected serious injury"? Sounds like whoever produced the statistics took liberty with interpretation of events. (Yeah, I know, all statistics requires that.)

But overall, who wouldn't realize/know that severity in an accident is worse for motorcyclists than for 4-wheeled cages?

I suspect the author of the compilation is lumping fatal accidents with accidents that he/she suspected were serious. Question is, what constiutes serious? Broken bone or bones?

 

[SMSW]

Isn't there a song about Xs' in Texas.? Is there anything mentioned about Xs' involved? I have known a few women( in my younger days ) that might want to run me over!

Is there a statute of limitations on how long before they don't want to run you over? Surely some carry grudges a long long time....

 

[dwalby]

I think I'm onto something, 44% of fatal motorcycle crashes (stupid terminology ?) involved an impaired rider.
So by my reckoning that means 56% aren't so impaired.
So it's safer to drink and ride!
I love statistics. I'm off to the boozer!
Upt'North.

Just don't drink and ride with a group of non-drinkers, be safer and only ride with other drinkers.

 

[Hueyf4i]

Lol, speeding is always associated with crash severity........

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Hueyf4i]

In 14 years of police work I would say that 95% of all sport bike crashes are the rider's fault(100% of all of the sport bike fatalities I've seen). And less than 20% of all non sport bike crashes were the rider's fault. I can post stats too

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[SupraSabre]

These types of reports should state at the beginning, that "These statistics are geared to prove, motorcycles do not belong on the road with Cages!".

Therefore cages should be Banned from the roads!