Motorcycle safety in Victoria: black spot the difference

Many 'blackspots' for motorcycle crashes have too few crashes to be ranked as a priority for funding under State or Federal Blackspot programs. The introduction of the Motorcycle Safety Levy in October 2002 provided a dedicated funding source for both on-road and non-road motorcycle safety projects. This provided the opportunity to initiate a blackspot program, believed to be the first large scale systematic blackspot program anywhere in the world targeting locations with a history of motorcycle crashes, and developing treatments which specifically address the factors contributing to motorcycle crashes. The three components of the Motorcycle Blackspot Program are blackspot/blacklength projects which address loss of control crashes, long route treatments which aim to create safe and consistent conditions along the entire length of a popular motorcycle route, and intersection blackspot projects which specifically address factors contributing to motorcycle crashes in these complex environments. A preliminary evaluation conducted in March 2006 showed an indicative 38 per cent reduction in motorcycle casualty crashes at the first 51 sites treated under the Motorcycle Blackspot Program. Future effects of the program will be monitored closely and a full evaluation will be conducted when sufficient crash data becomes available.