2013 Session: 811

• Motorcycle Safety Investigation at Exit-Ramp Section from Crash Data and Rider’s Perception
  Abstract: Exit ramps require extra attention and skills for motorcycle riders to make safe turns. They have been known as high risk areas for motorcycles with the facts of relative high crash counts and injury severity levels. This study evaluated the safety performance of four exit ramp types and the contributing factors on motorcycle crashes and injury severity of motorcycle riders with six-year crash data (2005 to 2010) and a web-based survey (234 samples). A total of 573 crashes were found at 419 exits, including 178 diamond exits, 71 directional exits, 85 loop exits, and 85 outer connection exits, in Florida. Overall, both the survey and crash data showed that a diamond exit is safer and more preferable by motorcycle riders. A loop exit is the most dangerous exit due to the sharp curve and a certain length of curve with limited visibility. For a directional exit, longer ramp length and the reverse curvature are the major factors causing motorcycle crashes. For the outer connection exit, the riders rated it as safe; however, the data showed a high average crash frequency and rate. The possible reason could be the unexpected curvature in the middle of the ramp, which could be dangerous if the rider is not familiar with the exit ramp location.The negative binomial was developed and the model indicated that if all remains the same, a directional exit, loop exit, or outer connection exit will have 16%, 27%, and 42% more crashes than a diamond exit respectively. The findings from this study can help policy-makers and engineers develop and apply effective countermeasures to reduce motorcycle crashes and injury severity levels for different exit ramp types.
  Authors: Chen, Hongyun; Lee, Chanyoung; Lin, Pei-Sung
  Authors: Chen, Hongyun; Lee, Chanyoung; Lin, Pei-Sung
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-1101
• Evaluation of Motorcyclist Responsibility in Crash Causation as a Function of Behavior and Age
  Abstract: Despite reductions in motorist fatalities between 2005 and 2010, the proportion of all crash fatalities that are motorcyclists has increased. In 2010, the rate of motorcyclist fatalities per mile traveled was 21 times higher than for passenger cars. This study sought to understand the driver behaviors (both motorcyclist and other driver) associated with motorcyclist crashes and the relationship of age of motorcyclists to these behaviors. Crash reports associated with 319 motorcycle crashes were individually reviewed and categorized in three areas: 1) motorcyclist age with a focus on younger motorcyclists (16 to 29) and others (30 and over), 2) motorcyclist responsibility based on issuance of a crash-related citation, and 3) crash circumstances described in 15 categories. Crashes involving a younger motorcyclist were more likely to be associated with motorcyclist responsibility than those involving older motorcyclists (p<0.01). Additionally, the rate per 100,000 licensed drivers for young drivers of the other vehicle involved in a motorcyclist crash was more than four times higher than the rate per 100,000 licensed drivers age 21 or older. Risky driving behavior or loss of control on the part of the motorcyclist accounted for more than 60 percent of crashes involving a younger motorcyclist. Crashes associated with driver error by the non-motorcyclist involved in the crash accounted for only one-quarter of crashes involving a younger motorcyclist. Conversely, one-half of crashes involving an older motorcyclist were the result of driver error on the part of the other driver. The differences in crash circumstances by age were statistically significant (p<0.01).
  Authors: Rothenberg, Heather; Knodler, Michael A.; Kennedy, Jennifer R.; Fisher, Donald L.
  Authors: Rothenberg, Heather; Knodler, Michael A.; Kennedy, Jennifer R.; Fisher, Donald L.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-3583
• Factors Affecting Motorcycle Conspicuity: Driving Simulator-Based Study
  Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of headlight configuration (daytime running lights, high beam and modulating headlights) and rider color (bright yellow, blue denim, and black torso and helmet) on the conspicuity of a motorcycle to younger (25 to 55 years old) and older drivers (65 and older) of a passenger vehicle in simulated urban and rural environments. To achieve this, 36 participants completed two study drives on a National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS)-2 driving simulator. During the drives, participants were presented with six oncoming motorcycles and three leading parked motorcycles, each with a different combination of rider color and headlight configuration. Participants indicated when each motorcycle was first visible to them by pressing a button on the steering wheel of the driving simulator and detection distances from the motorcycles to the participant vehicles were recorded. The applied repeated measures analysis of variance suggested that oncoming motorcycles with modulating headlights were detected at the greatest distance compared to motorcycles with high beam or daytime running lights irrespective of the rider color. Leading motorcycles in urban environments were detected at a greater distance compared to those in rural environments. Leading motorcycles with riders having bright yellow clothing and helmet were detected at the greatest distance, followed by motorcycles with riders having blue denim and black clothing and helmet. The interaction effect among the driving environment, rider color, and age group was also found significant for the detection distance of leading motorcycles.
  Authors: Shaheed, Mohammad Saad Bin; Marshall, Dawn; Gkritza, Konstantina
  Authors: Shaheed, Mohammad Saad Bin; Marshall, Dawn; Gkritza, Konstantina
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-2096
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Relationship Between Rider Trajectory and Injury Outcome in Motorcycle-Barrier Crashes
  Abstract: Motorcyclists have a much higher fatality risk in collisions with traffic barriers than do other road users. Many databases focus on the vehicle when reporting the sequence of events; however, in motorcycle collisions, the vehicle and rider often separate and follow different trajectories. This study aims to determine how the rider trajectory influences the injury outcome. Rider trajectories in barrier collisions were determined through an analysis of police accident reports (PARs) from New Jersey (2007-2011). There were seven different trajectories identified: upright, sliding, vaulting, ejected (same side landing), ejected (side unknown), ejected into barrier, and separated prior to barrier impact. Google Earth Street View was used to verify the barrier type in each collision. Of the 442 single-vehicle, motorcycle-barrier collisions reported in New Jersey, the PAR was analyzed for 430 crashes and the barrier was identified for 342 of these crashes (77.4% of all crashes). There were 361 riders and passengers involved in the crashes analyzed. In these crashes, riders most often struck the barrier upright without being ejected from the motorcycle. Barrier type and occurrence on an entrance/exit ramp were found to have a significant effect on the distribution of rider trajectory outcomes. Additionally, being ejected from the motorcycle after striking the barrier increased the odds of serious injury by 2.91 (95% CI: 1.31-6.46) times.
  Authors: Daniello, Allison; Cristino, Danielle; Gabler, Hampton Clay
  Authors: Daniello, Allison; Cristino, Danielle; Gabler, Hampton Clay
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-2184
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Motorcycle Safety Investigation at Exit-Ramp Section from Crash Data and Rider's Perception
  Authors: Chen, Hongyun
  Authors: Chen, Hongyun
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-1101
• Factors Affecting Motorcycle Conspicuity: Driving Simulator-Based Study
  Authors: Shaheed, Mohammad Saad
  Authors: Shaheed, Mohammad Saad
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-2096
• Relationship Between Rider Trajectory and Injury Outcome in Motorcycle-Barrier Crashes
  Authors: Daniello, Allison
  Authors: Daniello, Allison
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-2184
• Evaluation of Motorcyclist Responsibility in Crash Causation as a Function of Behavior and Age
  Authors: Knodler, Michael
  Authors: Knodler, Michael
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Safety and Human Factors
  Session: 811
  Paper Number: 13-3583