The Age
Transport
Dear Adam.
Thanks for your call this morning.
The Victorian Motorcycle Council graph attached was presented to the
current parliamentary inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety.
For other statistical/science comment contact Michael Czajka on 0403
073 055.
Police figures on helmet use by motorcycle & scooter riders in
Victoria are based on unreliable data. Crash scene data, particularly
collected in rural areas, is based to a large degree on the
observations and opinions of untrained officers ticking boxes. Crash
scenes can be assessed, if at all, hours after the crash. Some police
figures on helmet wearing and fault, presented to committees like the
Road Safety Reference Group at VicRoads are at best questionable, at
worst misleading. Here's an old example.
The Victoria Police crash investigation unit is dangerously under-resourced.
Officers with no appropriate training tick boxes and note opinions when
collecting crash scene data sometimes hours after a crash.
This is particularly true of non-fatal crashes and more so in country areas.
Looking only at motorcycle & scooter fatalities is misleading, out of
connect. The "big picture" includes fatal, injury and property damage
crashes. Not comparing motorcycle & scooter crashes with pedestrian
and bicycle crashes (in the 3 categories) can give a false impression
of the size of the motorcycle & scooter crash problem.
The questions of whether or not the motorcycle & scooter road toll is
inflated with off-road figures and how comprehensively and
effectively bike crash scenes are studied by qualified police
investigators need answers not spin.
The fact is that cars protect their occupants better since 1987 and
urban speeds are lower, so a reduction in injuries/fatalities seems
logical. And cars require less skill to drive and contain many more
distractions since 1987. The fact is that most
pedestrian/bicycle/motorcycle & scooter casualties involve a car.
Swann Insurance found C2006 that across Australia 40% of motorcycle
& scooter claims involved another vehicle hitting the bike from behind.
Says it all really.
The VicRoads/TAC/Police official policy "not to do anything that might
be construed as encouraging motorcycling" was documented in the 1992/3
parliamentary inquiry reports. VicRoads say they have abandoned the
official policy but it's still there. In our opinion it has been a
contributing factor in the reluctance for VicRoads/TAC/Police to
conduct real research or positive safety campaigns into motorcycle &
scooter safety over the last two decades.
Improvements to motorcycle & scooter safety should include road user
education for all classes of road user. Campaigns to improve the
relationship between car drivers and bike riders on our roads.
Improvements to the road environment for riders. Equal law enforcement
and penalties for bike riders and car drivers.
The IRG opposes the introduction of mandatory protective clothing
and of front ID for road motorcycles & scooters.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621
www.damiencodognottooam.blogspot.com
d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com
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