The main aim of the study was to examine where in the road network motorcyclists are injured. Accidents involving four-wheelers (ATVs, quad bikes) have also been studied, although to a lesser degree. Calculations based on the years 2011 and 2012 show that the risk of being killed or severely injured as a motorcyclist is 19 times higher than for drivers of passenger cars. This applies to the period April–October. Motorcyclists are, to a greater degree than car occupants, injured within built-up areas. The same is not true for drivers of four-wheelers. Motorcyclists are, to a higher degree than occupants of passenger cars, injured on smaller roads with low traffic flow. Killed and severely injured motorcyclists are overrepresented in accidents at intersections when compared to occupants of passenger cars. The opposite is true for injured four-wheeler drivers who are overrepresented on road sections. The exposure of motorcycle traffic on different parts of the road network is largely unknown. It is therefore, in general, not possible to calculate injury risks. However, when compared to other roads, there seems to be an increased risk of being killed or severely injured on roads with a 70 km/h speed limit. Compared with other roads, the probability of motorcyclists being killed or severely injured is lower on roads with median barriers. This is primarily due to the reduced chance of a collision with another vehicle. For single accidents, no statistically significant differences were found between the different road types. The study is based on police reported injury accidents in Sweden during the period 2003–2012. Accident data was limited to the period between April and October when about 95 per cent of motorcyclists are injured. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting