ITARDAInstitute for Traffic Accident

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1 ITARDAInstitute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis ( 財 ) 交 通 事 故 総 合 分 析 センター ITARDA INFORMATION No NOVEMBER 1, 2, 3, 4, Crossing 3% 4,258 Number of casualties Collisions while turning right Rear-end 8% 11,72 Running off the road/overturning 7,85 Head-on 3% 3,199 19% 25,546 Collisions while turning left 12% 15,956 (65,84) 49% of motorcyclists are involved in crossing and while turning right Collisions with roadside structures 2% 1,892 Others 21% 27,791 Number of casualties by type of accident involving motorcycles Special feature Characteristics of motorcycle accidents Beware of overlooking motorcycles

2 ITARDA Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis INFORMATION 財 団 法 人 交 通 事 故 総 合 分 析 センター イタルダ インフォメーション 211 NOVEMBER No.91 Special feature Characteristics of motorcycle accidents Beware of overlooking motorcycles 1, 2, 3, 4, 死 傷 者 数 ( 人 ) 右 折 時 19% 25,546 人 追 突 8% 11,72 人 路 外 逸 脱 転 倒 7,85 人 左 折 時 12% 15,956 人 出 会 い 頭 3% 4,258 人 49 % 二 輪 車 死 傷 事 故 の (65,84 人 ) が 出 会 い 頭 と 右 折 時 で 発 生 している The number of people involved in traffic accidents has been decreasing year by year, but even so, as many as 56,391 people were killed or severely injured in 21. Among the victims, 16,5, or about one third, were riding a motorcycle. In this issue of ITARDA Information, we focus on traffic accidents involving motorcycles and discuss the characteristics of this type of accident. 正 面 衝 突 3% 3,199 人 工 作 物 等 2% 1,892 人 その 他 21% 27,791 人 事 故 類 型 別 二 輪 車 死 傷 事 故 CONTENTS Introduction Characteristics of motorcycle accidents Examples of accidents Summary 2 ITARDA INFORMATION 91

3 特 集 二 輪 車 事 故 の 特 徴 - 見 落 とし に 注 意!- SECTION 1 Introduction The total number of traffic accident fatalities (death occurring within 24 hours following the accident; hereafter the same) has been on a steady decline, from 8,747 in 21 to 4,863 in 21, marking a 4 reduction. Almost the same downward trend can be seen in the number of fatalities involving people riding a motorcycle, from 1,566 to 871 (Fig. 1). Indeed, the ones most frequently involved in fatal accidents in 21 were pedestrians (1,714; 3), followed by car drivers (1,62; 33%), motorcycle riders (871; 18%), and bicycle riders (658; 14%) (Fig. 2), suggesting that motorcycles do not seem to pose a higher risk of death than other means of transportation. Number of fatalities Total Walking Riding in a car Riding a motorcycle Riding a bicycle Fig. 1: Changes in the number of fatalities by means of transportation (21 21) Riding a bicycle % Riding a motorcycle % Riding in a car 1,62 33% Walking 1, Fig. 2: Number of fatalities by means of transportation (21) 91 ITARDA INFORMATION 3

4 特 集 二 輪 車 事 故 の 特 徴 - 見 落 とし に 注 意!- Looking at the severity of injury, however, this is not the case. Despite the 37% reduction from 24,814 in 21 to 15,629 in 21, the number of people severely injured in accidents while riding a motorcycle has outweighed that of any other means of transportation since 25 (Fig. 3). In 21, the ones most likely to sustain severe injury were motorcycle riders (15,629; 3%), followed by car drivers (14,524; 28%), bicycle riders (11,317; 22%), and pedestrians (998; 19%) (Fig. 4). Number of serious injuries Total Walking Riding in a car Riding a motorcycle Riding a bicycle Fig. 3: Changes in the number of serious injuries by means of transportation (21 21) Walking 9,988 19% Riding a bicycle 11,317 22% Riding in a car 14,524 28% Riding a motorcycle 15,629 3% 21 Fig. 4: Number of serious injuries by means of transportation in 21 4 ITARDA INFORMATION 91

5 SECTION 2 Characteristics of motorcycle accidents (1) 7% of motorcyclists are the secondary party For fatal and injury accidents involving motorcycles and cars, Fig. 5 shows whether they were the primary or secondary party in the accident, in percentage terms. Primary party is the most negligent of those first involved in a traffic accident, or, if the level of negligence is almost the same, the least injured party. Secondary party is the less negligent of those first involved in a traffic accident, or, if the level of negligence is almost the same, the more injured party. Motorcycles are more likely than cars to be the secondary party, constituting 7%. In other words, motorcycle riders are exposed to a higher risk of being a victim in an accident % 38% Secondary party Primary party % 2 1 3% Motorcycle accidents Car accidents Fig. 5: Percentage of primary/secondary parties in fatal and injury accidents (21) (2) More frequently involved in crossing and while turning right To examine motorcycle accidents more closely, the number of fatal and injury accidents involving a motorcycle is broken down according to the type of accident in Fig. 6, and that involving a car in Fig. 7 for comparison. While rear-end and then crossing are the two largest groups in the case of car accidents, motorcycle riders are most likely to be involved in crossing, followed by while turning right. Here, 72% and 87% of motorcycles in crossing and while turning right, respectively, are the secondary party, suggesting again that motorcycle riders are exposed to a higher risk of being a victim in these types of accident. Number of fatal/injury accidents (Cases) 5, 45, 4, 35, 3, 25, 2, 15, 1, 5, 72% 28% Crossing 87% 13% Collisions while turning right 9 Collisions while turning left 58% 42% Rear-end Running off the road/ Overturning Secondary party Primary party Head-on Collisions with roadside structures Fig. 6: Number of fatal and injury motorcycle accidents by type of accident (21) Number of fatal/injury accidents (Cases) 5, 45, 4, 35, 3, 25, Crossing Collisions while turning right Collisions while turning left Rear-end Running off the road/ Overturning Secondary party Primary party 2, 36% 7% 15, 47% 1, 53% 64% 53% 28% 5, 47% 1% 1% 3% 9% 72% 1% 1% 91% Others Head-on Collisions with roadside structures 2 7 Others Fig. 7: Number of fatal and injury car accidents by type of accident (21) 91 ITARDA INFORMATION 5

6 特 集 二 輪 車 事 故 の 特 徴 - 見 落 とし に 注 意!- (3) 9% of motorcycles as the secondary party collide with a car As shown in Fig. 8, several different parties are involved in accidents in which the motorcycle is the primary party, whereas the motorcycle as the secondary party almost always, or in nine cases out of ten, collides with a car. The reason why motorcycle riders as the secondary party are more severely injured may be that around 9% of the other parties are cars, which are heavier than motorcycles % 11% 2% 2% 2% Others None Pedestrians Bicycles Motorcycles Cars % 91% % Motorcycle as primary party Motorcycle as secondary party Fig. 8: Percentage of other parties in fatal and injury motorcycle accidents (21) (4) Over 8% of the causes of crossing and while turning right are delays in noticing the motorcycle Let s look at the causes of the two major types of motorcycle accidents, namely crossing and while turning right. According to Fig. 9 which shows the human errors committed by the primary party in accidents in which motorcycles are the secondary party, Delay in noticing motorcycle accounts for more than 8% of the total. Looking into this error in detail, as shown in Fig. 1, nearly 7% of these delays are % 8 Crossing Collisions while turning right Fig. 9: Human errors causing crossing and while turning right involving motorcycles (21) (committed by the primary party with the motorcycle as the secondary party) 6 ITARDA INFORMATION 91 1% 12% 87% Others Driver errors Judgment errors Delay in noticing caused by an insufficient check on the traffic. The delay in noticing a motorcycle even after checking the road safety may be caused by the tendency of car drivers to overlook motorcycles more easily than cars. A motorcycle accident analysis conducted in the UK reported that it is not easy for other road users to notice motorcycles. This also indicates the need for motorcycle drivers to be aware of the risk of being overlooked by car drivers and to always drive safely % 1% 3% 4% 27% 68% Crossing * Intrinsic includes dozing and inattentive driving, and extrinsic includes adjusting the in-car stereo/ navigation system and distracted driving. 29% 66% Collisions while turning right Failure to look ahead carefully: intrinsic Failure to look ahead carefully: extrinsic Failure to check safety Insufficient safety check Fig. 1: Breakdown of the error Delay in noticing motorcycle (21) (committed by the primary party with the motorcycle as the secondary party)

7 (5) More frequently involved in crossing during daytime hours and while turning right during nighttime hours With regard to the time of day when traffic accidents occur, as shown in Fig. 11, the ratio of daytime accidents to nighttime accidents is almost the same, or roughly 7:3 for both motorcycles and cars. As shown in Fig. 12, the type of motorcycle accident most frequently seen is crossing during daytime hours and while turning right during nighttime hours % 26% 72% 74% Riding a motorcycle Riding in a car Nighttime Daytime Fig. 11: Percentage of daytime/nighttime fatal and injury accidents involving cars (21) % 1% 2% 2% 2% 8% 14% 23% 9% 8% Others with roadside structures Head-on Running off the road/ Overturning Rear-end while turning left while turning right Crossing 4 17% 26% % 1 2 Daytime Nighttime Fig. 12: Types of fatal and injury accidents by time of day (21) 91 ITARDA INFORMATION 7

8 特 集 二 輪 車 事 故 の 特 徴 - 見 落 とし に 注 意!- (6) Mopeds more frequently involved in crossing, and small/mini motorcycles in crossing and while turning right With regard to the ef fect of the t ype of motorcycle on accidents, as shown in Fig. 13, small-sized (over 25 cc) and mini-sized (over 125 cc and up to 25 cc) motorcycles are more frequently involved in crossing and while turning right, and for Class 2 mopeds (over 5 cc and up to 125 cc) and Class 1 mopeds (up to 5 cc), crossing are more prevalent % 22% 23% 2% 23% 1% 2% 3% 1% 1% 2% 2% 8% 7% 9% 11% 11% 13% Others with roadside structures Head-on Running off the road/ Overturning Rear-end while turning left while turning right Crossing 5 9% 11% 12% % 23% 2% 17% 2 34% 1 22% 23% 27% Small-sized motorcycles Mini-sized motorcycles Class 2 mopeds Class 1 mopeds Fig. 13: Types of fatal and injury accidents by type of motorcycle (21) 8 ITARDA INFORMATION 91

9 (7) Daytime running lamps can reduce crossing Motorcycle daytime running lamps became mandatory in 1998 to improve the conspicuity of motorcycles in the daytime with the objective of reducing traffic accidents. Based on Fig. 14, there is almost no difference in the number of while turning right regardless of whether or not the headlamps are used, but in the case of crossing, the figure is slightly lower when the headlamps are turned on. From this, the use of headlamps may reduce the risk of crossing. Looking at the use/non-use of headlamps in the total accidents, as shown in Fig. 15, 36% of motorcycle riders involved did not turn on the headlamps. It is considered that ensuring the use of headlamps in the daytime may reduce the risk of traffic accidents % 3% 2% 8% 14% 17% 1% 3% 2% 8% 13% 16% Others with roadside structures Head-on Running off the road/ Overturning Rear-end while turning left while turning right Crossing % 34% 1 Turned on Turned off Fig. 14: Types of fatal and injury accidents involving motorcycles by use/non-use of headlamps in the daytime (21) Unknown/Others 4% Turned off 36% Turned on 6% Daytime Fig. 15: Percentage of use/non-use of headlamps in fatal and injury accidents involving motorcycles (21) 91 ITARDA INFORMATION 9

10 特 集 二 輪 車 事 故 の 特 徴 - 見 落 とし に 注 意!- SECTION 3 Examples of accidents Case 1: Crossing collision [Situation] At around 9 a.m., a standard-sized passenger car (A, driven by a 55-year-old man) was slowly entering a two-lane road from a parking lot by making a right turn. The driver glanced to the right and saw no vehicles, so he began to turn right without stopping. As the car proceeded to the point where its front end was on the road, he noticed a Class 2 moped (B, driven by a 75-yearold man) coming from the right at about 4 km/h. He immediately stopped the car, but the moped crashed into the front right side of the car which blocked the moped s way. [Causes] The driver of the car overlooked the moped because he did not fully check the traffic, and probably because he did not stop his car at that point. Another cause may be the moped driver s failure to turn on the headlamps. [Countermeasures] When entering a road, it is important for car drivers to always stop and look both ways carefully. It is also important to turn on the motorcycle headlamps in the daytime so as not to be overlooked. [Injuries] The driver of the moped escaped head injuries thanks to wearing a proper helmet, but his chest hit the road and he suffered serious rib fractures. Diagram of the crash B A 1 ITARDA INFORMATION 91

11 Case 2: Collision while turning right [Situation] At around 6 a.m., a mini-sized passenger car (A, driven by a 3-year-old man) was about to make a right turn at a T-junction on a four-lane road. He turned on the right turn signal and slowed down; he looked at the oncoming lane and saw no vehicles except a large truck parked in the rightmost lane (seen from the car) on the far side of the junction. As he began to turn right, the passenger in his car yelled, Watch out! just as a mini-sized motorcycle (B, driven by a 41-year-old man) coming from the opposite lane at about 4 km/h crashed into the car. [Injuries] The driver of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, but he died two days later. [Causes] The driver of the car overlooked the motorcycle because he did not fully check the traffic. Another cause may be that the car driver s attention was drawn to the parked truck or to vehicles that might be coming from the road on the right. [Countermeasures] When turning right, car drivers must stop and carefully check that there are no oncoming vehicles in the opposite lane. Also, motorcycle riders must be more careful, and assume they may be overlooked. Diagram of the crash Parked truck B A 91 ITARDA INFORMATION 11

12 特 集 SECTION 4 二 輪 車 事 故 の 特 徴 - 見 落 とし に 注 意!- Summary [Characteristics of motorcycle accidents] 1 7% of motorcycle riders involved in traffic accidents are the secondary party. 2 Crossing and while turning right are typical types of accidents involving motorcycles. 3 When the motorcycle is the secondary party, the other party is a car 9% of the time. 4 Over 8% of the causes of crossing and while turning right are a delay in noticing the motorcycle. * Nearly 7% of the causes of this delay are an insufficient check on the traffic. 5 Crossing occur more frequently during daytime hours, and while turning right during nighttime hours. 6 Mopeds are more frequently involved in crossing, and small- and mini-sized motorcycles in crossing and while turning right. 7 Motorcycle daytime running lamps can reduce crossing. Precautions for motorcycle riders: (1) Motorcycles are known to be overlooked more easily than cars. Riders must always pay attention to safe driving near the entrance of parking lots or intersections, on the assumption of being overlooked by cars. (2) Turn on the headlamps in the daytime. Precautions for car drivers: (1) Always try to stop before turning right and be sure to check for vehicles in the opposite lane. Also pay attention to a motorcycle that might come out from behind a car or from the shoulder of the road. (2) Always try to stop near the entrance of a parking lot or intersection and be sure to check the safety of the area. Drivers can notice motorcycles, despite their low conspicuity, by stopping the car and carefully checking the traffic. Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis ITARDA INFORMATION イ タ ル ダ イ ン フ ォ メ ー シ ョ ン 211 NOVEMBER No 発 行 月 平 成 23 年 11 月 東 京 都 千 代 田 区 麹 町 6 6 麹 町 東 急 ビ ル 5 階 発 行 ( 財 ) 交 通 事 故 総 合 分 析 セ ン タ ー 事 務 局 東 京 都 千 代 田 区 麹 町 6-6 麹 町 東 急 ビル5 階 TEL FAX つくば 交 通 事 故 調 査 事 務 所 茨 城 県 つくば 市 西 大 橋 ( 財 ) 日 本 自 動 車 研 究 所 内 TEL FAX