TRUCKS, SEMI-TRAILERS, AND MOTORCYCLES: ACCIDENT COSTS FOR PROJECT PLANNING AND EVALUATION

This report is part of the project Accident Costs for Project Planning and Evaluation and is a study of the person costs and some coarse vehicle repair costs associated with the accident type groups of trucks, semi-trailers, and motorcycles. Motorcycle person costs were higher in the urban area than those associated with other vehicle types except two-vehicle accidents involving a semi-trailer. Motorcycles had an over-involvement in 'out of control, on carriageway' accidents. Semitrailers had the highest person costs in two-vehicle accidents in both urban and rural areas. They had high Involvement in 'loss of control on curves' accidents in both urban and rural areas. They had high involvement in 'loss of control on curves' accidents and 'parallel lane' accidents. Among other vehicle types, 4WDs had a very high involvement in 'loss of control' accidents and their average repair bill was more than twice that of cars for one vehicle accidents. Further research is needed in a number of areas including the splitting of truck accidents into those involving light trucks (by type) and those involving heavy trucks and the acquisition of detailed vehicle repair costs.