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THE
ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS
MOTORCYCLING SAFETY POLICY PAPER
JUNE 2006
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RIDERS
UK Licensing Laws
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Anyone
who obtained their full car driving licence on or after 1
February 2001 must complete Compulsory Basic Training (CBT)
before they can legally ride any type of motorcycle or moped
on the road. People who obtained their full car driving licence
before 1 February 2001 do not need to take a CBT test to ride
a moped, but must do so in order to ride any other motorcycle.
However, CBT and/or motorcycle training is still strongly
recommended.
To gain a full moped licence, the learner must pass both the
theory test for motorcyclists and the moped practical test.
To gain a full motorcycle licence, the learner must pass the
theory test for motorcyclists and either the A or A1 practical
test.
A1 – light motorcycle licence
The A1 Test is taken on a machine between 75cc and 125cc and
if passed entitles the holder to ride any motorcycle up to
125cc with a power output up to 11kW or 14.6 bhp, carry pillion
passengers and use motorways.
A – standard motorcycle licence
The A Test is taken on a machine over 120cc but no more than
125cc and if passed entitles the holder to ride any motorcycle
with a power output of up to 25kW or 33 bhp, carry pillion
passengers and use motorways. After 2 years (not counting
periods of disqualification) the rider qualifies to ride any
size of motorcycle.
However, there are two ways the 2 year waiting period can
be shortened:
Direct Access Scheme (DAS)
This allows riders over 21 years old take a test on a machine
of at least 35 kW (46.6 bhp), and if they pass to ride any
size of bike. Any instruction given on a machine that exceeds
the normal learner motorcycle specification must be supervised
at all times by a certified motorcycle instructor who should
be in radio contact with the learner. All other provisional
licence restrictions apply.
Accelerated Access
Riders who reach the age of 21 years during the two year period,
can become entitled to ride larger bikes by passing a further
test on a motorcycle of at least 35 kW (46.6 bhp). They may
practise on bikes over 25 kW (33 bhp) under the same conditions
as Direct Access, but revert to learner status while doing
so. Failing the test does not affect their existing licence.
Future Changes to Motorcyclist Licensing
The harmonisation of driving licences across Europe is well
underway. A Third Driver Licensing Directive is being developed,
and although it is not clear what the final rules will be,
it seems likely that they will include significant changes
to motorcyclist licensing, possibly raising the age for direct
access to larger machines from 21 to 24 years, setting age
limits for smaller machines and a requirement to pass a test
or take training when moving from smaller to larger motorcycles.
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Age
and Experience
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There
is a clear relationship between age and accident risk for
motorcyclists. The two age groups with the highest risk are
younger riders, aged 16 to 19 years, on mopeds and small engine
motorcycles, and riders aged 20 to 49 years, but particularly
those aged 30 to 39 years, on larger machines.
A TRL study22 showed that the age distribution of motorcyclist
casualties changed dramatically in the last two decades of
the Twentieth Century. In 1980, over half of motorcyclist
casualties were under 20 years old and less than 20% were
aged over 30 years. By 1997, this pattern had reversed, with
less than 20% of casualties being under 20 years old and over
half more than 30 years old.
A survey of accident risk23 throughout the 1990s showed that
during the first half of that decade the number of younger
motorcyclists (16 – 24 years) being killed or seriously injured
fell substantially, but the number of older motorcyclists
(25 – 59 years) being killed or seriously injured rose throughout
the 1990s.
However, a study of fatal motorcyclist crashes between 1994
and 200224 found that the main change in motorcyclist fatalities
since 1994/98 has been a large increase in deaths among 30
to 49 year old riders.
Another study25 also found a strong link between age and accident
liability for motorcyclists, and identified younger riders
as the highest risk group. This study suggested that age is
a stronger factor than experience (in contrast to car drivers
for whom experience is thought to be a stronger link to accident
risk than age), perhaps because as riders become more experienced
they move onto large machines and more challenging rides.
Other research shows that older riders were more likely to
ride larger motorcycles.
The In-depth study26 suggested that more experienced riders
were less likely to be at fault for the accidents in which
they were involved, whereas less experienced riders were more
likely to be at fault.
A New Zealand study27 concluded that age was more important
in motorcycle accident risk than experience. It compared 490
motorcycle riders who had been involved in road accidents
on non-residential roads between 1993 and 1996, with a control
group of 1,518 riders who had not been involved in an accident.
Of the crash-involved riders, 18% were aged 15 - 19 years
(as were 11% of the control group), 32% (and 26% respectively)
were aged 20 - 24 years and 49% (and 63%) were aged 25 years
and over. 21% of the crash-involved riders had less than two
years riding experience, 30% had between 2 and 5 years experience
and 50% had more than five years riding experience. The corresponding
figures for the control group were 16%, 28% and 56%.
As age increased, accident rates decreased, so much so that
riders aged 25 years or older had a 50% lower risk than those
aged 15 - 19 years. It also showed that those with five or
more years riding experience had a lower risk than those with
less than two years. However, once age was taken into account,
the study found little evidence that the amount of experience
had a protective effect. The study also found that familiarity
with the motorcycle being ridden significantly reduced accident
risk.
A survey28 of over 1,300 motorcyclists compared accidents
and attitudes of riders with their age and motorcycling experience.
Most (84%) were aged 25 years and over, 6% were aged up to
19 years and 10% were aged 20 - 24 years. Almost all (91%)
had four or more years riding experience and only 2% had two
years or less experience. The study found that younger riders
had more accidents than older riders, irrespective of the
amount of riding experience. In other words, younger riders
with four or more years riding experience had more accidents
than older riders with four or more years riding experience.
The report concluded that younger riders have more accidents
because they are young, rather than because they lack experience,
and their accident risk is associated with a willingness to
break the law and violate the rules of safe riding.
Training
Motorcycling requires more control skills than driving a car,
but motorcyclists receive relatively little formal training,
and there is much less opportunities for supervised on-road
riding. Many graduate from smaller to larger machines without
taking any further training.
Unlicenced riders and improperly licenced riders were at great
risk of being in an accident than riders who were properly
trained and licenced
A review31 of the motorcycle training industry in Britain
showed that it is “very fragmented”, with many small training
organisations, a wide range of different training qualifications
and many different types of courses. The courses available
include CBT (CBT instructors must be certified by the DSA),
post-CBT/pre-test training, rider development, advanced rider
training and rider assessment courses.
An evaluation of a one-day motorcycle training course32 in
1987 (before CBT) compared a group of 78 riders who undertook
the training programme, with a matched control group of 62
learner riders who received no training. Both groups were
tested immediately after the training course and again two
months later. The study concluded that the trained riders
committed fewer errors immediately after they had been trained.
Over the following two months the skills of both groups improved,
but the trained group still committed fewer errors. The untrained
riders committed two - two and half times as many errors,
which were mainly poor rearward observation and problems maintaining
balance.
A Canadian study33 compared 346 trained riders with a control
group of 346 untrained riders (matched for age and sex) over
a five year period from 1979 to 1984. It concluded that age
was the strongest predictor of motorcycle accident involvement.
However, it also found that trained riders had a lower accident
rate than untrained ones, and that their accidents tended
to be less severe. Overall, the trained group had 64% fewer
motorcycle accidents than the untrained group (they also had
32% fewer accidents in all vehicles, including motorcycles).
The number of accidents for both groups decreased with each
successive year following gaining their motorcycle licence.
The study also found that the benefits of training in reducing
accidents were stronger for riders aged 25 years or less than
for older riders, and that the effects were stronger in the
short term than in the long term.
Developments in Pre-test Training
All new riders must successfully complete Compulsory Basic
Training (CBT). Then, to gain a full motorcycle licence, they
must pass the theory test for motorcyclists and either the
A or A1 practical test. It is recognised that learners need
to be encouraged and helped to take an adequate level of training
between CBT and taking the motorcycle test. The Government
has the power to make such training compulsory, but at present
is seeking to encourage riders to take training rather than
force them to do so
Developments in Post-test Training
Recent years have seen significant developments in rider training.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is also working with motorcycling
training providers to develop national standards for post-test
training for all motorcyclists with full licences, particularly
newly qualified riders, riders returning to motorcycling after
a long break and riders who are changing to larger, more powerful
machines.
It is likely that the Pass Plus scheme for car drivers (which
provides extra supervised lessons after the driving test)
will be extended to novice motorcyclists.
Bikesafe is an assessment ride with a Police motorcyclist
who identifies any skills that the rider needs to improve,
and if appropriate, recommends further training. These schemes
are now available nationally and the syllabus has been standardised
so that wherever a riders takes a Bikesafe assessment, the
core elements should be the same. A note of caution was sounded
in an evaluation of the Bikesafe Scotland scheme35 which suggested
that sometimes a rider’s confidence could be raised without
their safe riding abilities being raised to the same extent.
Following the model of Driver Improvement Schemes, Rider Improvement
Schemes that the Police will be able to offer to riders as
an alternative to prosecution for minor offences are being
developed and evaluated. They will mirror the existing Driver
Improvement schemes for car drivers, although they are only
currently available in a few areas.
The Road Safety Bill will provide powers for training courses
(that would apply equally to drivers and motorcyclists) to
be offered for more serious offences, with reductions in the
length of dis-qualification or the number of penalty points
for offenders who successfully complete them.
Speed Awareness courses are being offered by some Police forces
to drivers who exceed the speed limit by small amounts. Good
practice guidelines for a national scheme have been developed
and such schemes are available to motorcyclists as well as
drivers.
The Department for Transport has commissioned research to
investigate current training courses, identify good practice
and develop guidelines for standardising the core elements
of pre- and post-test motorcycle training. The research will
also compare post-training accidents rates for different types
of training. Hopefully, this research will plug a significant
gap in our knowledge of most effective types of motorcyclist
training.
A weakness of the motorcycle training system is the lack of
a statutory register to ensure that motorcyclist instructors
are trained, tested and monitored to minimum, national standards
(similar to the one for car driving instructors are). These
issues have been recognised in the Government’s Motorcycling
Strategy and a number of measures are underway to address
them. Research is being conducted to develop training competencies
and professional qualifications for motorcyclist trainers,
and a voluntary registration scheme will be set up by the
DSA.
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| Fitness
To Ride |
As
with drivers, it is essential that motorcyclists are fit to
ride. It could be argued that any impairment due to alcohol,
drugs, medicines or fatigue is likely to have a greater effect
on motorcycle riders than car drivers because the rider must
balance and control a two-wheeled vehicle.
Alcohol
Alcohol reduces the ability to concentrate, slows reaction
time, creates over-confidence and increases the risk of being
involved in an accident. It remains in the body for several
hours after it has been consumed and may still affect a rider
the morning afterwards
In 2004, 423 motorcyclists failed breath tests, and 14% of
riders who died were over the drink drive limit. However,
motorcyclists are less likely to fail breath tests than car
drivers, and a lower proportion of motorcyclists killed on
the road were found to have been over the limit, compared
with car driver fatalities.
The In-depth Study of Motorcycle Accidents38 found that alcohol
was a factor in 3% of motorcyclist crashes where the rider
was wholly or partly to blame, but it was a factor in only
1.3% of motorcycle accident where the other driver was to
blame. This suggests that motorcyclists are more likely to
be in an accident when they themselves are impaired by alcohol
(or drugs) than when another driver is so impaired. A questionnaire
survey of experienced motorcyclists was conducted as part
of the same study, in which 85% of respondents said that they
never rode when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and
the rest said they had done so only occasionally.
It goes without saying that motorcyclists should refrain from
drinking any alcohol and riding, or riding when affected by
drugs.
Drugs and Medication
There is no evidence to suggest that this is a greater problem
for motorcyclists than for drivers, but the same issues relate
to both groups. The In-depth Study found that drugs were involved
in less than 0.25% of motorcycle crashes where the rider was
wholly or partly to blame.
Motorcyclists should not ride if they feel affected by medicines
(including some everyday medicines) or illegal drugs, or if
they are taking medicine or undergoing any medical treatment
which advises against driving or riding. Appropriate guidance
from medical practitioners and pharmacists, and warning labels
on medicines, are essential. Positive advice about alternatives
to riding and advice to return to the GP if side-effects are
experienced are just as important as warnings not to ride
if affected by the medicine, or by the illness. Current developments
in roadside tests for drugs and/or impairment should apply
as much to motorcyclists, as to drivers.
The study of fatal accidents involving motorcyclists39 found
that 13% of the riders involved had been impaired by alcohol
or drugs or both. This matches the percentage of fatally injured
riders who were over the legal alcohol limit
Fatigue
As with drivers, a tired motorcyclist is more likely to have
a crash. Motorcyclists may have an increased susceptibility
to fatigue because of noise, vibration and exposure to weather
conditions. Unlike car drivers, they may feel unable to find
a safe place to stop and sleep in their vehicle and so may
be more tempted to keep going on long journeys.
In a questionnaire survey40 of experienced riders, a quarter
said that they never rode when tired, and less than 8% said
that they regularly rode their motorcycle when they were tired.
However, fatigue was involved in only 4 of 1,790 motorcycle
accidents analysed.
Most of the research into fatigue has concentrated on drivers
(although the Department for Transport has commissioned research
to examine the role of fatigue in motorcyclist crashes), but
the recommendations flowing from the existing research can
be applied to motorcyclists:
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- do
not ride when feeling tired
- avoid
riding in the early hours or when the rider would normally
be asleep
- avoid
starting a long distance ride after having worked a full
day
- plan
and take regular rest stops on long journeys - about every
two hours
- try
to avoid riding after a heavy meal
- do
not drink and ride
- avoid
riding if affected by drugs or medicines that may cause
drowsiness.
- adopt
a comfortable position with the instep resting on the
footrests
- consider
wearing internal ear protection (ear-plugs) to reduce
noise
- wear
comfortable clothing that provides physical protection
and is appropriate to the weather
- Riders
who begin to feel tired should stop somewhere safe, take
drinks containing strong caffeine, find somewhere safe
and take a short nap.
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