Near Miss Study Of Motorcycles

The purpose of the survey was to find out from motorcyclists whether they had experienced situations in which they believed they could have crashed and/or been injured (but were able to keep control of their motorcycle) as well as the type of situations they had experienced.

During the period May-July 2009, a survey of 257 motorcyclists in Ireland (Northern and Southern) and Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) was carried out.

The findings of the survey have identified situations that appear to be more prevalent for motorcyclists, which are the potential for collisions between motorcycles and other vehicles, followed by problems with the conditions of roads and road infrastructure.

A focus group was convened to gather the views of motorcycle experts, to discuss the results of the survey and to consider issues relating to road safety and casualty reduction.

These active and experienced individuals are able to provide expert advice to the government in order to find solutions to reduce the number of motorcycle casualties.

The findings of the survey identified situations that are prevalent in near miss events, while the focus group identified underlying factors, such as the variations in training in different countries as well as the impact of both positive and negative advertising on rider behaviour.