Born To Ride News

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Retrieved July 16, 2010; from http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PEOPLE_JOE_PERRY_HURT? SITE=NDBIS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT  

From a press release issued by Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s crash fatality rate dropped last year to the lowest rate on record. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles provides details on that statistic and much more in its Traffic Crash Statistics Report 2009, which is now available online. The report summarizes data that state and local law enforcement agencies submit to DHSMV.

“The report shows that we are moving toward the Department’s vision of a safer Florida,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie L. Jones. “While multiple factors influence the numbers, the declining trends are a testament to the emphasis that law enforcement agencies, safety advocates and businesses have placed on saving lives on our roadways. DHSMV will continue to work with our safety partners to add to the momentum we have gained in recent years so that we continue to see crashes, deaths and injuries decline in years to come.”

Some positive trends the report highlights include:

•           Crash-related fatalities on Florida roadways decreased 14 percent between 2008 and 2009, from 2,983 to 2,563. This is the fourth consecutive year that traffic fatalities have decreased.

•           The number of deaths per 100 million miles traveled dropped to 1.3 last year — the lowest the state has ever reported. As a note of comparison, the rate was 5.8 deaths per 100 million miles 40 years ago.

•           Alcohol-related traffic fatalities fell by 14 percent between 2008 and 2009 from 1,169 to 1,004.

•           Motorcycle fatalities (drivers and passengers) dove 24 percent between 2008 and 2009 from 532 to 402.

•           Bicyclist and passenger fatalities decreased 15 percent between 2008 and 2009 from 118 to 100.

•           Pedestrian fatalities decreased four percent between 2008 and 2009 from 502 to 482.

•           Fatalities of teen drivers and passengers, ages 15-19, fell significantly by more than 20 percent between 2008 and 2009 from 193 to 153. Teen drivers continue to over represent in terms of crash frequency, posting the highest rate of crash involvement of any age cohort at 381 per 10,000 licensed drivers.

A complete copy of the Traffic Crash Statistics Report 2009 is available at www.flhsmv.gov/html/safety.html under Traffic Crash Facts. The website also provides the report from previous years.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles provides highway safety and security through excellence in service, education and enforcement. The Department is leading the way to a safer Florida through the efficient and professional execution of its core mission: the issuance of driver licenses, vehicle tags and titles and operation of the Florida Highway Patrol. To learn more about DHSMV and the services offered, visit www.flhsmv.gov.

Retrieved July 13, 2010; from http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=2104

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published the results from a pilot study that tested methodologies to be used in a more in-depth investigation into motorcycle crashes, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports. The larger study is now under way at the Oklahoma Transportation Center, a well-respected research facility, under the supervision of Oklahoma State University (OSU).

“The AMA has long advocated for, and supported, a new federal study into the causes of motorcycle crashes and motorcyclist fatalities, particularly in light of evolving demographics and changing technology,” said AMA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. “A comprehensive motorcycle crash study is long overdue, and this pilot study is the first step to making sure we collect the data necessary and employ the proper procedures to learn lessons that will save lives.”

The current report does not focus on crash data from the scaled-down pilot investigation, but rather the investigative procedures that are crucial to the integrity of the OSU study. “Motorcycle Crash Causes and Outcomes: Pilot Study” describes the processes investigators used to collect crash data, the type of data collected and offers recommendations for a larger motorcycle crash study that’s partially funded by a $100,000 grant from the AMA.

The pilot study can be downloaded from AmericanMotorcyclist.com/legisltn/documents/MC_Crash_Pilot_Study.pdf.

In 2005, Congress approved the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, and the legislation called for the study. Lawmakers pledged $2.8 million for the research, and asked the motorcycling community to pitch in.

In 2007, the AMA committed $100,000, and AMA members contributed an additional $27,000 through the AMA Fuel the Fund campaign. Since then, six state safety programs — New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin — have pledged another $560,000.

Westat, based in Rockville, Md., and Dynamic Science Inc., based in Anaheim, Calif., conducted the pilot study for the federal government. Over a three-month data-collection period, investigators worked with five police agencies in seven jurisdictions. Notifications were received on 53 motorcycle crashes, of which 23 cases were completed. Investigators concluded that data collection is the most-challenging aspect of such a study and offer suggestions to improve that process.

The pilot study reports that the average cost per completed case is $7,500, which includes a margin for dropped cases. However, this figure includes data collection only and does not include overhead costs of forms, manuals, other equipment and back-office support.

The last major motorcycle crash causation study, commonly called the “Hurt Report” in reference to its lead researcher, the late professor Hugh H. “Harry” Hurt, was completed in 1980. The Hurt Report provided a wealth of data that has been used to develop training and strategies to help keep riders safer on the road. In the decades since, the traffic environment has changed enormously, prompting the AMA to begin campaigning for a new study several years ago.

For more information about the new OSU study, go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/news/story.asp?id=1431.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.