Motorcycle-Guardrail Crashes: How Can the Risk of Severe Injury and Fatality be Reduced?

This article discusses technical solutions to guardrail design intended to reduce the risk of motorcyclist fatalities caused by colliding with guardrails. In the U.S. motorcyclists suffer a disproportionate share of fatalities due to guardrail crashes. One countermeasure is to shield motorcyclists from the posts of the guardrail, since they are the most hazardous component. While it is not economically feasible to modify all guardrails, if only 10 percent were made more forgiving, it would be an effective measure. However, to make the best use of these measures, improvements must be targeted. Additionally, enforcement and education efforts must be augmented by new regulations that consider motorcyclists in the design and testing of barriers. A 2005 project in Spain developed a barrier-motorcycle crash test, which is considered the first step toward developing internationally-agreed-upon standards. New projects should take motorcycle safety needs into account from the beginning in the type of roadside infrastructure they use. Additionally, awareness needs to be raised among highway engineers and road designers