The risk of fatality in motorcycle crashes with roadside barriers

The objective of this study is to examine the issue of fatal motorcycle collisions with guardrail based on U.S. accident statistics. Motorcycle crashes were found to be the leading source of fatalities in guardrail crashes. In 2005 for the first time, motorcycle riders suffered more fatalities (224) than the passengers of cars (171) or any other single vehicle type involved in a guardrail collision. In terms of fatalities per registered vehicle, motorcycle riders are dramatically over-represented in number of fatalities resulting from guardrail impacts. Motorcycles compose only 2% of the vehicle fleet, but account for 42% of all fatalities resulting from guardrail collisions. Motorcycle-guardrail crash fatalities are a growing problem. From 2000-2005, the number of car occupants who were fatally injured in guardrail collisions declined by 31% from 251 to 171 deaths. In contrast, the number of motorcyclists fatally-injured in guardrail crashes increased by 73% from 129 to 224 fatalities during the same time period. Over two-thirds of motorcycle riders who were fatally injured in a guardrail crash were wearing a helmet. Approximately, one in eight motorcyclists who struck a guardrail were fatally injured – a fatality risk over 80 times higher than for car occupants involved in a collision with a guardrail.