The driving-related risk of being killed in an accident is 14 times higher for motorcyclists than the risk for passenger car users (Germany, 2005). This risk had increased even further over the last years to the disadvantage of motorcyclists. The number of road users killed in fatal road accidents in Germany dropped by 55% from 1991 to 2006. Motorcyclists however benefit from this development far less than other road users. Whilst there has been a decrease of 61% in respect of motor vehicle users, the figure for motorcyclists has seen a drop of only 20%. For this reason the Insurers Accident Research (UDV) commissioned by the Loss Prevention Commission and in cooperation with the TU Berlin’s Department of Motor Vehicles and the TU Dresden’s Professorship for Road Traffic Technology conducted research into the accident risk of motorcyclists from a new perspective of linking vehicle- and road traffic technology for the first time. The objective was to establish technical and road-related factors which influence the event of the accident as well as the severity of injuries of the motorcyclists. This is in order to apply targeted measures to reach a more equitable situation between the development of traffic safety for motorcycle users on the one hand and the generally positive development in Germany on the other hand. This interdisciplinary approach provides consensual recommendations for the vehicle user, the vehicle and the road. The results of these investigations are summarised in a research report. (Author/publisher)
Abstract