The Road Safety Monitor (RSM) is an annual public opinion survey conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF). The survey takes the pulse of the nation on key road safety issues by means of a telephone survey of a random, representative sample of Canadian drivers. The annual results of the RSM are released in a series of reports (available at: www.tirf.ca) – the present one focuses on motorcyclists. The number of new motorcycle sales has been increasing in Canada with 52,313 units sold in 2000 to 82,482 units sold in 2007. There has been a notable increase in motorcycle ownership for those aged 40 and older. Motorcycle riders are more vulnerable because they lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle. Motorcycles also lack many safety features of passenger cars. The motorcyclist fatality rate in Canada increased every year from 2002 to 2005. There was a modest decrease in 2006 of 0.3%. 80.4% of Canadian motorcycle riders are male. The majority of these riders are aged 40-49 (24.6%), followed by those aged 50-59 (21.2%), and those aged 30-39 (20.9%). While the overall picture regarding unsafe riding behaviours suggests that riders are not necessarily behaving more or less risky than drivers, there is room for improvement. For example, 25.5% of Canadian motorcyclists ride well above the speed limit (compared to 24.3% of drivers); 10.5% weave in and out of traffic; 9% pass other vehicles when it is not safe to do so; 8.5% perform stunts on public roads; and 3.1% ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet. 41.4% of respondents often see motorcycles passing other vehicles when it is not safe to do so; 39.1% see motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic;16.4% see motorcyclists performing stunts on public roads; and 8.9% of respondents see motorcyclists riding without a helmet. Those who frequently ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet were more likely to be older. They were more likely to be from a rural area, less likely to be married, and more likely to have driven more kilometres in a typical month than those who do frequently wear a helmet. Riding a motorcycle was perceived as being the least risky of all road behaviours; 16.6% perceived riding a motorcycle to be very or extremely risky. The survey revealed the public is not overly concerned about unsafe motorcycle riders. Motorcyclists performing stunts on public roads only received the seventh highest rating of concern of all road safety issues with 55.3% of respondents being highly concerned about it. 72.9% agreed that motorcycles should be impounded for performing stunts on public roads; 68.2% agreed that there should be increased fines for the non-use of helmets for motorcyclists; and 51.8% agreed that there should be an engine size limitation for new motorcycle riders. Motorcycle riders were just as likely to agree with increased fines for the non-use of helmets as drivers of other motor vehicles and motorcycle riders were actually more supportive than other road users for restricting engine size for new riders. (Author/publisher)
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