The rate at which motorcyclists are injured in road accidents varies with the age of the motorcyclist, the size of motorcycle and the type of road. When allowance is made for these effects, it is found that the casualty and accident-involvement rates per kilometre travelled by the youngest riders (aged 16) in 1985/6 were 2.8 times the average. The rates fell with age, to less than half the average among riders over 40. Most rates fell slightly with size of motorcycle, and were at least twice as high on built-up as on non-built-up roads. The rate of riders killed per kilometre travelled is the exception to this pattern. It varies less with age, is higher on non-built-up than on built-up roads and increases with size of motorcycle. The relatively high fatality rate among the riders of larger motorcycles is associated in particular with disproportionately many accidents at night. There are also disproportionately many accidents on bends and accidents involving several vehicles. (Author/publisher)
Abstract