This study investigated the differences in accident numbers, the risk of accidents, and accident types between various groups of moped and low-speed moped riders (In Dutch: "snorfietsers"). The standard accident information was supplemented by questioning the police officer who reported the accident. This procedure was used for a sample of approximately 1,000 serious accidents registered by the Dutch Department of Registration of Traffic Accidents (VOR). The study also uses the results of a Netherlands Transport Research Centre (AVV) survey on ownership and use of both mopeds and low-speed mopeds. From mid-1992 to mid-1993 some 2,000 moped riders and less than 300 low-speed moped riders were involved in serious accidents. Around 1,000 of the riders were 16 or 17 year-olds. There is no large variation in risk between the various types of mopeds and low-speed mopeds. Generally, both 16 and 17 year-olds, and 50 year-olds and older are between two and three times more likely to be involved in a serious accident than the intervening age groups. Little difference was found between groups of moped or low-speed moped riders regarding the accident locations or the other party.
Abstract