Evaluating helmet-wearing of single-vehicle overspeeding motorcycle crashes: Insights from temporal instability in parsimonious pooled framework

OBJECTIVE

A lower helmet-wearing rate and overspeeding in Pakistan are critical risk behaviors of motorcyclists, causing severe injuries. To explore the differences in the determinants affecting the injury severities among helmeted and non-helmeted motorcyclists in motorcycle crashes caused by overspeeding behavior, single-vehicle motorcycle crash data in Rawalpindi city for 2017-2019 is collected. Considering three possible crash injury severity outcomes of motorcyclists: fatal injury, severe injury and minor injury, the rider, roadway, environmental, and temporal characteristics are estimated.

METHODS

To provide a mathematically simpler framework, the current study introduces parsimonious pooled random parameters logit models. Then, the standard pooled random parameters logit models without considering temporal effects are also simulated for comparison. By comparing the goodness of fit measure and estimation results, the parsimonious pooled random parameters logit model is suitable for capturing the temporal instability. Then, the non-transferability among helmeted and non-helmeted overspeeding motorcycle crashes is illustrated by likelihood ratio tests and out-of-sample prediction, and two types of models provide robust results. The marginal effects are also calculated.

RESULTS

Several variables, such as age, cloudy and weekday indicators illustrate temporal instability. Moreover, several variables are observed to only show significance in non-helmeted models, showing non-transferability across helmeted and non-helmeted models.

CONCLUSIONS

More educational campaigns, regulation and enforcement, and management countermeasures should be organized for non-helmeted motorcyclists and overspeeding behavior. Such findings also provide research reference for the risk-compensating behavior and self-selected group issues under overspeeding riding considering the usage of helmets.

Motorcycle antilock braking systems and fatal crash rates: updated results

OBJECTIVE

Antilock braking systems (ABS) prevent wheels from locking during hard braking and have been shown to reduce motorcyclists' crash risk. ABS has proliferated in the United States fleet, and the objective of the current study was to update the effectiveness estimate for ABS with additional years of data and a broader variety of motorcycle types.

METHODS

Motorcycle drivers involved in fatal crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years during 2003-19 were examined for 65 motorcycle models offering ABS as an optional feature. Fatal crash rates for motorcycles with ABS were compared with rates for the same models without it.

RESULTS

ABS was associated with a statistically significant 22% reduction in motorcycle driver fatal crash involvements per 10,000 registered vehicle years.

CONCLUSION

This finding adds to the growing literature demonstrating the safety benefits of motorcycle ABS.

Investigation of factors contributing to injury severity in single vehicle motorcycle crashes in India

Single-vehicle crashes are of major concern in both developed as well as in Low Middle Income Countries due to the severity of injuries, particularly fatal accidents. In India, a significant proportion of crashes are single-vehicle crashes. The vehicles which are involved in accidents due to causes such as self skidding, hitting stationary objects, trees that are simply contributed by the drivers themselves are referred to as out-of-control single-vehicle crashes. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the risk factors associated with single-vehicle motorcycle collisions in Tamilnadu, India and identifies the unique characteristics and injury outcomes associated with these collisions. Crash dataset for the present study was prepared from the police-reported crashes for the past nine years that occurred within the state of Tamilnadu between 2009 and 2017. The identified contributory factors which influence injury severity include driver characteristics, crash-related factors, traffic-related factors, vehicle and environment-related factors. In this study, injury severity is classified into three categories, i.e. fatal, serious, and minor injuries. Since the outcome of the injury severity could be measured on an ordinal scale, a discrete ordered outcome model, an ordered logit model is applied. To summarise the results, thirteen of the studied factors are found to have a significant influence on the injury severity of drivers. Results show that the likelihood of fatal injuries increases in crashes where motorcyclists hit stationary fixed objects, hit trees, ran-off road, inclement weather conditions, urban areas. It is also found that winter season, north districts of Tamilnadu, single and two-lane roads, highways, village roads and, other district roads, daylight conditions, drivers who are younger and working-age group, overtaking from left, taking u-turn are associated with less likelihood of fatal crashes. To increase the overall safety of the roads, targeted countermeasures may be designed in light of injury severity of the drivers with respect to single-vehicle crashes also. This study provides useful insights for reducing injury severity in single-vehicle motorcycle crashes.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Motorcycle Crash Victims One Year After Injury: A Longitudinal Study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Despite the burden of injury associated with motorcycle crashes and injuries in Vietnam, there are no studies investigating health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following a nonfatal motorcycle crash in this country. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the change of HRQoL preinjury, and at 6 and 12 months postinjury motorcycle crash in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Outcome measures were Physical Component Scores (PCS) and Mental Component Scores (MCS) of the Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12) version 2 and the EQ-5D. Multilevel mixed models were undertaken. A total of 352 hospitalized motorcyclists were followed-up. Compared with preinjury, the SF-12 PCS reduced by 6.61 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = -8.21 to -5.03) and 5.12 points (95% CI = -6.74 to -3.51) at 12 months postinjury. MCS also reduced by 4.23 points (95% CI = -5.99 to -2.47) at 6 months but increased by 1.29 points (95% CI = -0.49 to 3.08) at 12 months postinjury. The EQ-5D Visual Analogue Scale score decreased by 10.41 points (95% CI = -11.49 to -9.33) at 6 months and 6.48 points (95% CI = -7.58 to -5.38) at 12 months postinjury. The HRQoL among injured motorcycle riders improved between 6 and 12 months after injury but had not returned to the levels before injury.

Seasonal Variation of Trauma in Western Massachusetts: Fact or Folklore?

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated a significant relationship between weather or seasons and total trauma admissions. We hypothesized that specific mechanisms such as penetrating trauma, motor vehicle crashes, and motorcycle crashes (MCCs) occur more commonly during the summer, while more falls and suicide attempts during winter.

Methods

A retrospective review of trauma admissions to a single Level I trauma center in Springfield, Massachusetts from 01/2010 through 12/2015 was performed. Basic demographics including age, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and length of stay were collected. Linear regression analysis was used to test the association between monthly admission rates and season, year, injury class, and mechanism of injury, and whether seasonal variation trends were different according to injury class or mechanism.

Results

A total of 8886 admissions had a mean age of 44.6 and mean ISS of 11.9. Regression analysis showed significant seasonal variation in blunt compared with penetrating trauma (p<0.001), MCC (p<0.001), and falls (p=0.002). In addition, seasonal variation differed according to injury class or mechanism. There were significantly lower rates of MCCs in winter compared with all other seasons and conversely higher rates of total falls in winter compared with other seasons.

Discussion

A significant seasonal variation in blunt trauma, MCC, and falls was observed. This has potential ramifications for resource allocation, including trauma prevention programs geared toward mechanisms of injury with significant seasonal variation.

Level of evidence

Retrospective Review, Level IV.

Motorcyclist's thumb: carpometacarpal injuries of the thumb sustained in motorcycle crashes

The purpose of this study was to investigate motorcycle crash thumb injury patterns. We hypothesized that ulnar collateral ligament injuries at the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint would be most common and there would be a side predilection due to the clutch and brake positions. Motorcyclist admissions following injury between 2002 and 2013 were reviewed, and phalangeal and metacarpal injuries treated acutely identified. Demographics, injury, and treatment characteristics were recorded. Association between laterality and injury type was assessed. Of 128 patients, 59 underwent acute treatment for thumb injuries. Eleven patients sustained thumb ulnar collateral ligament injuries; 27 sustained thumb carpometacarpal injuries. Most carpometacarpal injuries were fracture-dislocations (19/27). Thumb carpometacarpal injuries had no overall side predilection; ulnar collateral ligament injuries occurred more on the right. Carpometacarpal fractures and dislocations are the most frequent motorcycle crash thumb injury, probably due to the mechanics of gripping handlebars and the high-energy force directed into the palm and against the metacarpal base.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.