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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | http://www.kypost.com/content/middleblue3/story/Biker-Deaths-Examin... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 114
Southeast, AZ United States | I'm betting this studies results will mirror those from the 1981 study referenced...
Ride Safe,
Ken  |
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Tourer
Posts: 447
Northeastern Penna. |
(Getty Images) By Lisa Hoffman
Scripps Howard News Service
An acceleration in the number of motorcyclists dying on American roads has spurred the U.S. Federal Highway Administration to order a sweeping study to find out why.
The four-year project, conducted with Oklahoma State University, will examine the factors that have contributed to a 150 percent increase in motorcycle fatalities -- from 2,100 to 5,300 a year -- between 1997 and 2008. Last year, motorcycle deaths comprised 14 percent of all roadway fatalities.
Each crash will be dissected by analysts in a hunt for patterns, although experts say the growing toll is not a result of more motorcycles on the road. Road configurations, environmental conditions and rider skill levels will be examined.
The last time a full-bore study of motorcycle crashes was conducted was in 1981, and the conclusions were that alcohol, lack of training and no helmets were largely to blame.
My take on the increase:
There are several factors as to why the increase in accidents,one of which is, along with the increase of new riders,comes the inexperience that goes with that.Over that time period came high gas prices and many people were looking for the fuel efficient motorcycle. Let's face it,there are many on the road who don't belong operating a motorized vehicle. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| They already KNOW the cause of most fatalities but a cure for the problem seems to allude the authorities. I agree that this study will be as poorly researched as the HURT study was and the outcomes will be the same. That is the problem. We pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for NHTSA and its college affiliates to tell us what they have already told us for the past 20 years, don't drink, get trained and wear a lid. Guess what all that stuff has been done and still 52% of hwy fatalities occur with riders who don't drink, wear lids and hve tons of training. Maybe they need to train those cagers turning into the path of oncoming riders? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | I would speculate that too many drivers are distracted today. Cell phones, text messaging, BlackBerries, putting on makeup, etc. The roads are also a lot more crowded today than 1981, people are easily irritated and are driving a lot more aggressively and there just isn't anywhere for them to go but on our laps.
Edited by ScoreBo 2009-10-25 6:53 PM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | Go buy a bigger SUV then if you hit someone while texting, you'll stiill be safe. Better you than me. Isn't this the common mentalityz(overstated but cuts through the BS)? I honestly don't see a cure for this anytime soon. It's going to continue to get worse until we start enforcing the same justice for distracted drivers that we do for drunk drivers. Honestly, what's the difference between beeing completely distracted and driving and being completely intoxicated? I say nothing. Being drunk behind the wheel is seen as evil while many feel sorry for the person who was on the phone when they accidently rolled their minivan with kids in it. Are they any less dead? I'm sure most of you agree with me. There really is no way to know if they were using their bluetooth or headset when they were driving but there is a way to look at the phone log or subpoena their phone company if they are at fault in a fatal accident. I'm as guilty as anyone else at talking on the highway and I definitely use a headset for this reason but I will be completely understanding when the laws become so strict that they'll prohibit us from pone use on the highway.
Edited by bigwill5150 2009-10-25 7:32 PM
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wonder why?