AASHTO Domestic Scan Proposal Form

Proposal Contact Information
Name: Morris Oliver
Title: Transportation Specialist
Agency/AASHTO Committee: FHWA Office of Safety
Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590
E-mail:
Telephone number: 202.366.2288
Date of submission: October 2008
Title of Proposed Scan: Successful Strategies for Motorcycle Safety
Problem Statement
As of 2007, motorcycles account for 13% (5154) of all traffic fatalities in the United States; a number which has increased for 10 consecutive years. The Nation’s economic crises concerning credit, mortgages, and gasoline prices are causing consumers to find ways to cut costs. Relatively speaking, operating and maintaining a motorcycle, is cheaper than the associated costs for a car. Due to the above factors, more people are switching to motorcycles as a primary method of travel. Statistics show that motorcycle occupants are 34 times more likely to die in a vehicle accident than passenger car occupants. With a potential increase in motorcycle ridership/ownership and the high probability of fatalities among their riders, the fatality numbers may continue to increase, unless corrective actions (both infrastructure and behavior- related) are taken now. This scan will determine the successful infrastructure and behavior- related countermeasures that are being implemented nationwide in order to develop best practices for the country.
Scan Scope: Reducing motorcycle fatalities requires a comprehensive approach which includes behavioral and infrastructure-related strategies. To date, most State-based initiatives in motorcycle safety have focused on behavioral issues such as training, raising awareness of motorcycles among other drivers, and licensing requirements. While infrastructure-related efforts have been limited due to various factors such as lack of reliable cost-benefit data on specific countermeasures, some States have implemented efforts to engage motorcycle riders and organizations to get feedback on roadway-related issues. The scan will be designed to obtain ‘best practices’ on all of these program areas, to the extent that State DOTs have adopted them, that can be shared with all States. Following are several examples of known State-based programs; additional examples will be sought, especially those which reflect infrastructure-oriented efforts, as part of the scan planning process.
North Carolina – BikeSafeNC was modeled after Bike Safe London. It is not licensing course, but rather a mentoring relationship between a trained officer and riders. Follow up surveys have indicated that, to date, there have been no fatalities or crashes amongst those who have taken the course. The bike routes are chosen through coordination with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to represent the locations with the worst crashes and fatalities. Crashes and fatalities have improved in those areas as infrastructure issues are reported back to the NCDoT. An unexpected consequence has been that crime has decreased along the bike routes because of the increased officer presence. Darrell Jernigan, North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program (919)733-3083 or Sgt Mark Brown (NC SHP) (BikeSafeNC) (919)662-4430. http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/index2.cfm?a=000003,000014,001583
Wisconsin. Wisconsin provided initial funding for the Green Yellow Red (GYR) program, a motorcycle safety project that works directly with motorcycle dealers and taverns that cater to motorcyclists and provides alternatives to riding impaired. Motorcycle shelters, an expanded server intervention program, and they added a 50- minute unit on impaired riding to the beginning rider training course. They also provided overtime enforcement efforts at 3 large annual motorcycle events resulting in the elimination of fatalities, to date, at those events. Major Dan Lonsdorf (608)266-3048.
Minnesota -Motorcycle Safety Center, or MMSC, is structured into two divisions: rider training and public relations. The Rider Training Division conducts all of the motorcycle training and riding courses, evening testing, and third-party licensing. They also coordinate the annual Motorcycle Safety Conference and Law Enforcement Conference. They are very innovative and proactive with regards to motorcycle safety. Cheri Marti, Department of Public Safety, (651) 201-7070 or Pat Hahn, (MnDOT) (651)201.7566 . http://www.motorcyclesafety.state.mn.us/pages/mmsc.html
Oregon. Team Oregon was developed in 1984 as a cooperative endeavor between the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon State University with a mission to provide rider skills training for motorcyclists of all ability levels and experience. Each year over 5000 new and experienced riders learn valuable lifelong riding skills through Team Oregon's range of courses. They also serve as a clearinghouse for information and resources relating to riding and safety. Team Oregon is a cooperative partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon State University. Michele O’Leary (503) 986-4198 or Steve Garets (800) 545-9944; (541)737-3845. http://teamoregon.orst.edu/to_web/index.shtml
Scan Objectives
The following issues will be reviewed and obtained:
·  Motorcycle crash causation issues
·  Successful infrastructure solutions (barriers, safety edge, work zone enhancements, ITS), to the extent practices by State DOTs or others
·  Motorcycle policies and design practices focusing on the infrastructure, to the extent adopted by State DOTs or others
·  Successful behavioral programs (training, shadowing/mentoring).
The primary audiences for the information include roadway designers/maintainers and decision makers, safety program managers, implementers of Intelligent Transportation Systems and work zone managers. The summary will be shared through a variety of means, including outreach / marketing to key potential implementation agencies, posting on the internet, and presentations to a wide range of stakeholder and decision-making groups.
Benefits Expected
·  Development of a summary that documents successful infrastructure and behavior-related solutions addressing motorcycle safety.
·  Expanded adoption and implementation of these solutions by additional States and other operating entities, resulting in less motorcycle fatalities and injuries.