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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| REPORT |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
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| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-18-040 Date: February 2019 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-18-040 Date: February 2019 |
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The Motorcycle Crash Causation Study, conducted through the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Research and Development, produced a wealth of information on the causal factors for motorcycle crashes, and its corresponding Volumes provide perspectives on what crash-countermeasure opportunities can be developed. This study used a crash- and control-case approach developed from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development protocols, which as discussed in this report, has provided insights into more than 1,900 data elements that may be associated with motorcycle-crash causation. The research team produced a final report along with a 14-volume series of supplemental reports that provide an overview of the study and a summary of its observations, the data-collection forms and coding definitions, a tabulation of each data element collected from each form, and selected comparisons with previous studies. It is anticipated that readers will select those Volumes and data elements that provide information of specific interest.
This document, Volume 1—Data Collection and Variable Naming, describes the data naming conventions, lists 2,600 uniquely named variables produced in the database, and provides a means for users to identify variables of interest. This report will be of interest to individuals involved in traffic safety, safety training, crash and injury reduction, and roadway design and policy making, as well as to motorcycle- and safety-equipment designers, crash investigators and researchers, motorcycle and automotive manufacturers and consumers, roadway users, and human-factors specialists.
Brian P. Cronin, P.E.
Director, Office of Safety and Operations
Research and Development
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.
The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.
Quality Assurance Statement
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
| 1. Report No. FHWA-HRT-18-040 |
2. Government Accession No. | 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. | ||||
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| 4. Title and Subtitle Motorcycle Crash Causation Study: Volume 1—Data Collection and Variable Naming |
5. Report Date February 2019 |
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| 6. Performing Organization Code DUNS No. 049987720 |
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| 7. Author(s) John W. Nazemetz, Frances D. Bents, James G. Perry, Craig Thor, Carol Tan, and Yusuf M. Mohamedshah |
8. Performing Organization Report No. 1-5-44482-v01 |
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| 9. Performing Organization Name and Address Oklahoma State University College of Engineering-Research 201 ATRC Stillwater, OK 74078 Westat 1600 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 Dynamic Science, Inc. 8433 N. Black Canyon Highway Phoenix, AZ 85021 |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) | |||||
| 11. Contract or Grant No. Cooperative Agreement No. DTFH61-06-H-00034 |
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| 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Federal Highway Administration Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center Mailing Code HRDS-6 6300 Old Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101 |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report; June 2011-January 2016 |
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| 14. Sponsoring Agency Code HRDS-20 |
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| 15. Supplementary Notes Contracting officer's Representatives are Carol Tan, Ph.D. (HRDS-20), and Craig Thor, Ph.D. (HRTM-10), Federal Highway Administration. |
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| 16. Abstract The purpose of this study was to gather data on motorcycle crashes by intensive post-crash investigations and control motorcycle observations and interviews conducted in Orange County, CA. The study developed a dataset that researchers can access and use to investigate additional research questions. The database provides data from 351 injury crashes and 702 paired control observations. Of the crashes observed, 82 were single-vehicle crashes, and 269 were multiple-vehicle crashes involving a total of 294 other in-transit vehicles and 11 parked vehicles. Forty crashes resulted in fatalities with 22 single-vehicle-crash and 18 multiple-vehicle-crash fatalities observed. The study compiled observations on rider, passenger, and other-vehicle driver demographics; environmental factors; factors contributing to the crash; motorcycle and other-vehicle parameters; injuries sustained; and clothing/safety equipment used. For crashes, the research team compared observations for crash and control riders, passengers, and motorcycles and other vehicles involved in the crashes. Within the crash observations, the study compiled and compared the data for single- and multiple-vehicle crashes, fatality and non-fatality crashes, along with selected previous studies and elements of the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS)/General Estimates System (GES) and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) databases.(1-3) The data are available in SAS® and Excel™ formats along with a Coding Manual defining all codes used.(4) |
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| 17. Key Words Motorcycle, Motorcycle Crashes, Hurt Study, Motorcycle Rider, OECD, Motorcycle Crash Causation, Crash Data, Motorcycle Crash Investigation |
18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. https://www.ntis.gov |
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| 19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified |
20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages 212 |
22. Price N/A |
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| Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) | Reproduction of completed pages authorized. | |||||
