Much research has been conducted examining the problem of motorcycle road crashes. Most of this research has concluded that motorcyclists have a conspicuity problem, particulary during the day. This type of research has often involved comparing multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes with single vehicle motorcycle crashes occurring during the day and night. The aim of this paper is to point out that comparison of single and multiple vehicle motorcycle crashes juxtaposes subsets of crashes with clearly different causes (car drivers' possible failure to detect a motorcyclist against motorcylists' loss of vehicle control). Comparing groups of crashes for which conspicuity can be posited as a common cause (car drivers' possible failure to detecta motorcyclist or car) may be a more enlightening comparison. The issue of exposure is also examined in this paper. (A)
Abstract