MOTORCYCLING SAFETY RESEARCH - A REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL LITERATURE

The literature on motorcycling safety research is reviewed, and it is argued that there have been two main periods. The first, spanning the 1970's, was based on accident analysis, and the main objective was to identify and control factors that contribute to the severity of motorc ycling accidents. The main concerns were to reduce head and brain inju ries through safety helmets, to reduce multi-vehicle collisions throug h daytime use of headlamps, and to reduce drink-riding. The second per iod, the 1980's, shifted the emphasis of research to what might be cal led 'riding analysis'-that is, analysis of the process of motorcycle r iding. Particular attention was paid to skills testing, training evalu ation and perceived risk. Now, in the early 1990's, a third period is developing, in which the rider is seen as 'active agent'. The theoreti cal basis of the new research has come from the models of social psych ology, and the main concern is to use riders' beliefs and attitudes ab out safe riding to predict their behaviour on the roads and so their a ccident involvement. The three periods of research are reviewed in tur n, and the paper concludes with an outline of the key research issues that remain to be addressed.