Safety of motorized two-wheeler riders in the formal and informal transport sector

[Trends in motorcycle road deaths in Colombia, 2008-2021Tendências de mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta na Colômbia, 2008-2021]

Objective

To identify trends in motorcycle road deaths in Colombia between 2008 and 2021.

Methods

An observational and descriptive study of trends in motorcycle road deaths was conducted using official death records from 2008 to 2021. Jointpoint Poisson regression analysis was performed to detect inflection points in mortality rates specific to age, sex, and area of residence.

Results

A total of 28 200 motorcycle road deaths were identified during the period; 24 271 men and 3 929 women died. Of the deaths, 74.1% occurred in urban areas and 25.9% in rural areas. In rural areas, there was an increasing trend in fatalities in young adults of both sexes during the period. The same occurred in men over 65 years of age. In urban areas, there was an upward trend in fatalities in the age group from 45-64 for both sexes during the period. Only one inflection point was detected, in 2015, showing a downward trend in adolescent females.

Conclusion

The trend in motorcycle road deaths in Colombia continued to rise during the 2008-2021 period, both in rural areas for young adults and in urban areas for middle-aged adults.

Examining factors influencing the severity of motorized two-wheeler crashes in Delhi

Failure to meet road safety targets has necessitated urgent actions from stakeholders worldwide, especially in developing countries like India. Road safety of motorized two-wheelers (MTWs), one of India's most preferred travel modes for urban commutes, is in danger and witnessing threatening figures of fatalities and injuries. Most of the studies in the domain of MTW safety were conducted in developed countries, with very limited research in countries having a significant proportion of MTWs. The present work investigates police-reported crash data to identify the contributory factors of motorized two-wheeler crash severity. Data from MTW crash-prone areas were selected from Delhi, which is leading in road traffic fatalities among the million-plus urban cities in India. A binary logistic regression model was developed using the data for 2016-2018 period. The model results show that the odds of fatal motorized two-wheeler crashes increase when the following circumstances apply: crash occurs on underpasses; involves bus, truck, heavy motor vehicle (lorry, crane) as the striking vehicle; when hit-and-run type of crash occurs and when older age-group (> = 55) riders are involved. Finally, based on the findings, countermeasures were suggested to facilitate policymakers and traffic enforcement agencies, in improving the road safety situation of MTW users.

The rider behavior questionnaire to explore associations of motorcycle taxi crashes in Cartagena (Colombia)

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify the association between behavioral factors and crashes of motorcycle taxi riders using the Motorcycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (MRBQ).

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional survey of motorcycle taxi riders in Cartagena. The MRBQ was adapted to the socio-cultural context and contained 45 items. The survey was conducted between February 2019 and May 2019. The items of the MRBQ were processed using factor analysis. Four logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between behavioral factors and aspects of demographics, operating conditions, and experiencing near-crashes, crashes, traffic tickets, and at-fault crashes.

RESULTS

Four hundred and thirty-eight motorcyclists participated. The exploratory factor analysis extracted five elements: stunts, speed violations, traffic errors, control errors, and safety, explaining 42% of the variance. The increase in riding per week showed significant differences with stunts, speed violations, and traffic errors. Riding experiences, traffic errors, control errors, and safety were significantly associated with crashes and near-crashes. Stunts were the strongest factors related to traffic tickets. Speed violations were the strongest factors associated with at-fault accidents.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed recent results considering behavioral, exposure, and operational conditions in a group of motorcycle taxi riders. The study recommends some practical implications for the well-being of motorcyclists and road safety.