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Costs of Injuries Resulting From Motorcycle Crashes (posted 02-27-03)
Analysts at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, working under a NHTSA contract, identified 25 motorcycle safety studies for review. Most were published in the 1990s, and most addressed the subject of the costs of injuries resulting from motorcycle crashes. Most of the studies reviewed employed data from a state, locality, or medical institution in the United States. Seven of the studies linked data from multiple sources -- e.g., police crash reports and hospital records -- with varying degrees of success, in order to compile detail on individual crashes and their victims. A few other studies drew data from multiple sources in computing aggregate estimates of crash costs, but most of the studies worked from a single medical dataset. Most of the studies focused on either the benefits of wearing motorcycle safety helmets or the impact of state laws requiring the wearing of such helmets.

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Do Motorcycle Helmets Interfere with the Vision and Hearing of Riders PDF version (posted 6-1996) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored a study to access the effect of wearing a helmet upon the ability of motorcycle riders (1) to visually detect the presence of vehicles in adjacent lanes before changing lanes and (2) to detect traffic sounds when operating at normal traffic speeds. The information in this study will benefit motorcycle advocates across the nation seeking information about the impact of helmet usage on motorcyclists' vision and hearing.

Drinking, Riding, and Prevention: A Focus Group Study. (Posted 02-25-03)
Alcohol is a major contributor to motorcycle crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities. NHTSA conducted this focus group study to assess motorcyclists' attitudes and beliefs about drinking and riding. Special emphasis was placed on obtaining rider opinions on what strategies would be most effective in curbing drinking and riding. This report presents those findings.

Fatal Single Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes PDF Version (Posted 11/27/2001)
Motorcyclist fatalities in single vehicle crashes account for more than 45 percent of all motorcyclist fatalities. This study analyzes single vehicle motorcycle crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting Center 1990 to 1999 and provides insight into the possible causes of these fatalities.

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Motorcycle Traffic Enforcement - A Guide for Law Enforcement Agencies Considering Implementing a Motorcycle Patrol Unit (posted 04/03/03)
This publication provides law enforcement administrators with practical information and assistance to determine if there is a need to initiate a traffic law enforcement motorcycle patrol unit in their community. It also provides an in-depth look at the rudiments of a successful program.

Motor Vehicle Insurance in the United States. (posted 03/07/03)
Motor Vehicle insurance pays for many of the medical and work losses resulting from highway crashes. Insurance information is critical to understanding crash costs and who pays them. This report focuses on motorcycle insurance and summarizes the availability of insurance coverage for motorcyclists, the costs of insurance for motorcyclists, and the similarities and differences between motorcycle and other private passenger vehicle coverage.

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Recent Trends in Fatal Motorcycle Crashes PDF Version (Posted 7/03/01)
This study analyzes the combined motor vehicle crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) with the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the US Census Bureau for the recent increases in motorcyclist fatalities. The combined data is then used to calculate rates and identify possible causes for the recent increases in motorcyclist fatalities for developing crash prevention programs.

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The Motorcycle Safety Program (posted 01-14-03) Full Document in .pdf
The Motorcycle Safety Program document present priorities and specific program initiatives that NHTSA intends to pursue in the coming years. The document is also consistent with NHTSA's statutory responsibilities in promoting greater motorcycle safety.

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