Motorcycle Safety Foundation to Unveil Preliminary Findings at VTTI’s Third International Symposium on Naturalistic Driving

IRVINE, CA – August 20, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) -  The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is honored to have been invited to participate in the upcoming Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Third International Symposium on Driving Research, held Aug. 27 – 30, 2012, at VTTI’s facility in Blacksburg, Va. Hosted by VTTI’s National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, the two-day symposium has assembled a group of specially selected experts who specialize in the field of naturalistic driving research.

According to VTTI, scheduled speakers include esteemed experts from Finland, Australia and Sweden, and multi-national participating companies include Toyota, Nissan and Ford. Finally, globally recognized agencies supporting the event include NHTSA, the National Institute of Health, the National Academy of Science and more.

MSF President and CEO Tim Buche and Dr. Sherry Williams, MSF’s director of quality assurance and research, will represent the Foundation at this esteemed symposium. Buche and Williams are scheduled to present the preliminary findings from the first-ever MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study in the symposium’s opening session in a presentation titled, “Half Million Miles to Rider Safety.”

“Dr. Williams and I feel extremely privileged to represent MSF at this symposium,” said Buche. “Over the last year, we’ve worked extensively with VTTI on the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study and I believe that our collaboration has been beneficial to all parties involved. Additionally, MSF couldn’t have been more pleased with VTTI’s administration of what turned out to be a tremendous undertaking. Dr. Williams and I are eager to present our preliminary findings to such an internationally respected group of experts in the naturalistic driving research field.”

According to VTTI, the symposium will provide researchers and practitioners with hands-on experience with Naturalistic Driving Study data during two workshops focusing on different areas of naturalistic driving research. These include an opportunity to explore how Naturalistic Driving Study data reduction is performed, as well as a hands-on experience with the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 Naturalistic Driving Study dataset. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with the panelists to explore naturalistic driving in their respective countries.

Topics to be covered at the symposium include:

• Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, and Technology: Preliminary Results from the Road
• Driving with Impairments
• Teen and Novice Drivers: Safety, Interventions and Outreach
• Vulnerable Road Users: Naturalistic Driving Studies in Support of Senior Mobility
• How NDS Fits into the Research Portfolio Now and in the Future
• Linking Roadway Data Sources to Address Research Questions
• The Future of NDS: Next Generation Vehicles
• NSTSCE Project Highlights

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF® have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

 

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Motorcycle Safety Foundation Calls for an End to Distracted Driving

Organization Supports National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

IRVINE, CA – April 7, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is strongly urging all motorists to stop driving while distracted and fully backs April’s national awareness month to combat this deadly highway hazard.

“Distracted driving is of great concern for motorcyclists as we simply have more at stake,” said MSF President Tim Buche. “Riders are obviously more vulnerable than car or truck drivers, the ones with far more access to a variety of distractions. Most motorcyclists are focused on one thing: riding. Other motorists should be focused on driving.”

The U. S. Department of Transportation’s website, www.distraction.gov, reports a variety of sobering statistics:

• In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction (16 percent of the total fatalities).
• The proportion of fatalities reportedly associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009.
• 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving.
• 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction.

“With these alarming, increasing reports of driver distraction and resulting injuries and deaths, we support every effective effort, including legislation, to fight this growing hazard,” Buche said. “We’re very pleased that Oprah Winfrey, an influential TV personality with huge national reach, has come out so strongly against distracted driving.”

Introduced by former U.S. Representative Betsy Markey, the resolution to create a National Distracted Driving Awareness Month was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 23, 2010.

Most states currently have laws regulating distracted driving. The DOT reports that 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. Last year alone, 12 of these laws were enacted.

To increase driver awareness, the MSF presents key facts about motorcycles and their riders and has created a website with valuable resources for drivers called forcardrivers.com.

10 Things All Car and Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles and Motorcyclists

1. There are many more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road and some drivers don’t “recognize” motorcyclists. They ignore them, usually unintentionally. Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at an intersection.
2. A motorcyclist may look farther away than he or she is in actuality. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, estimate that a motorcycle is closer than it looks.
3. A motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots or masked by objects or backgrounds outside the car. Thoroughly check traffic, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.
4. A motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Again, don’t immediately rely on your perceptions.
5. Motorcyclists sometimes slow down by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Don’t tailgate motorcyclists. At intersections, anticipate that motorcyclists may slow down without any visual warning.
6. Turn signals on a motorcycle are not often automatically self-canceling. Some riders, (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off. Try to determine whether a motorcycle’s turn signal is for real. And if you’re driving a car, remember to use your turn signals too. They’re a great communication tool for riders and drivers when used properly.
7. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily, to avoid road debris, and deal with passing vehicles and wind. Understand that motorcyclists often adjust lane position for a purpose, and it’s not an invitation for a car to share the lane with them.
8. Maneuverability can be one advantage for a motorcycle, but don’t expect that motorcyclist can always steer or swerve out of harm’s way. Please leave motorcyclists room on the road, wherever they are around you.
9. Stopping distance for motorcycles can be nearly the same or better than that of cars. But wet or slippery pavement can put motorcyclists at a disadvantage. Don’t violate a motorcyclist’s right of way, especially in bad conditions.
10. Don’t think of it as a motorcycle, a machine: Think of the rider; the person on board is someone’s son, daughter, spouse or parent. Unlike other motorists, protected by doors, roofs and airbags, motorcyclists have only their safety gear and are at greater risk from distracted drivers.

“While the solution to ending distracted driving is clear – better, smarter, safer decisions – upcoming research will shed more light on the nature of the problem,” Buche said.

In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, distracted driving contributed to more than 22 percent of all the crashes and near-crashes that were recorded. This research gathered its data from video recorders and instrumentation installed on the vehicles before they were placed back, for months, into everyday traffic.

The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will soon do the same with motorcycles, for six to 18 months, and will combine unobtrusive, continuous data collection with post-incident interviews. The study will create a comprehensive picture of many factors, possibly including distracted driving, that contribute to both crashes and near-crashes.

The MSF, its members, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) are now engaged in this study, likely the world’s first large-scale, naturalistic research on motorcycle riding.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF® have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

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Groundbreaking MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study Under Way

Multiple Age Groups, Various Riding Environments

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – February 18, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study is progressing on schedule, according to key milestone accomplishments:

• All study documents have been completed and are currently under review by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) internal Institutional Review Board;
• The three study locations have been selected: California, Virginia and Florida;
• VTTI engineers are testing instrumentation configurations with samples of the types of motorcycles that will be sought for the study;
• Riders will be recruited initially for Virginia starting in April 2011 with the other two locations to follow;
• Data collection will begin spring 2011.

 

In 2010, the MSF and its members partnered with VTTI on the world’s first large-scale, naturalistic motorcycle riding study: The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study.

This landmark research initiative combines unobtrusive, continuous data collection with post-incident interviews to create a comprehensive picture of many factors contributing to both crashes and near-crashes. The study involves 100 motorcyclists in multiple age groups who ride one of three types of bikes – cruiser, sport and touring – in various riding environments: urban, rural and freeway. Other study factors include diverse weather conditions, traffic situations, and rider gear requirements.

Data will be collected on each rider for up to 12 months (depending on the riding season in each location) using small video recorders and multiple instrumentation devices mounted on the bikes. It is expected that the study will document and analyze approximately 400,000 to 500,000 miles ridden by the 100 motorcyclists. MSF’s initial funding for the study exceeds $1.6 million plus approximately 30 percent more through in-kind investments.

“We’re extremely excited now that the groundwork has been laid and the study is moving into the data collection stage,” said MSF President Tim Buche. “Each level of analysis – from observing rider’s gross and fine motor skills to determining crash avoidance and near-crash avoidance – will be fed back into the work of the MSF’s Rider Education and Training System. The insights we gain will ultimately provide riders with tools and techniques to optimize their success on the road by helping them to develop and improve both skills and judgment.”

Instrumentation to be utilized in the data collection process includes five video views (forward, sides/rider’s hands, rider’s face, and rearward), accelerometers, gyros, global position system, vehicle speed, brake use, machine vision-based lane tracker, and a forward radar.

“Naturalistic observations provide inputs that are difficult or practically impossible to get through traditional research methodology,” said VTTI director Tom Dingus. “Most importantly, it is done in such a subtle way that the subjects quickly forget they’re being observed, so the study reflects their true riding character – how they ride when they think no one is watching.”

A departure from traditional crash-causation research, the naturalistic method and technology developed by VTTI was successfully used in a 100-car study in 2005 that included 69 crashes and more than 750 near-crashes. The method is presently in use by researchers across the globe to target nearly every type of roadway user, with the exception of two-wheeled vehicles. “The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will greatly advance the understanding of interactions among rider, motorcycle, roadway, other roadway users and the environment,” said Dr. Sherry Williams, MSF director of quality assurance and research.

Among other things, the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will provide information on:

• The rider’s behavior over a relatively long period of time in the rider’s everyday environment;
• What happens to a rider’s skills and decision-making over time – in the minutes, days, weeks, and months prior to the crash, not just at the moment of critical impact;
• The sequence of events and factors in the instants prior to the crash;
• Differences between successful and unsuccessful evasive maneuvers;
• How the rider interacts with adjacent vehicles;
• Various aspects of the bike’s movement.

 

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

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Motorcycle Safety Foundation Partners with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on Groundbreaking Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists

Video Cameras and Data Acquisition Sensors to Track Riders Over Extended Period

IRVINE, CA – March 31, 2010 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and its members are partnering with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) on what is likely the world’s first large-scale, naturalistic motorcycle riding study: The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists. Using small video recorders and instrumentation mounted on numerous bikes for 6-18 months, the study will combine unobtrusive, continuous data collection with post-incident interviews to create a comprehensive picture of many factors contributing to both crashes and near-crashes.

A departure from traditional crash-causation research, the naturalistic method and technology developed by VTTI was successfully used in a 100-car study in 2005 that included 69 crashes and more than 750 near-crashes.  The method is presently in use by researchers across the globe to target nearly every type of roadway user, with the exception of two-wheeled vehicles. This study, expected to be on the road by early 2011, will greatly advance the understanding of interactions among rider, motorcycle, roadway, other roadway users and the environment.

“We know of no other naturalistic study for motorcycles,” said VTTI Director Tom Dingus. “We expect the study to be very valuable to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s work, since we also will examine where and how crash avoidance is successful. With so much information bandwidth coming from the cameras and instrumentation on each bike, we’ll be able to examine details for years, and the findings will be relevant for decades.

“VTTI has a vested interest in motorcycle safety, and we see the rising number of motorcycle crashes as a national problem,” said Dingus. “Through naturalistic research, we can collect data that will provide guidance to help enthusiasts, industry and others move toward positive safety outcomes.”

Since Congress appropriated funds for a federal crash causation study in August 2005, MSF has invested over $1.25 million in research on training effectiveness, rider behavior and curriculum development. Now directing its resources toward the VTTI study, MSF aims to create a comprehensive, dimensionalized database to support research that will help reduce crashes.

Using real-world data on the interaction of rider behavior and performance with roadway, environmental and vehicle factors, the VTTI methodology provides flexible and accurate analysis of risk exposure. Quantification of rider behavior in both critical and non-critical riding allows the study of how crashes occur and how they are successfully avoided.

About The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists:

• Naturalistic Method identifies crashes using time-series video and numeric data, reveals factors not detectable through crash investigation, creates its own controls by comparing the crash-involved rider to himself/herself at all other times, and permits quantification of rider performance and behavior in non-critical and critical riding
• Feasibility of Naturalistic Method on motorcycles has been proven by VTTI, but not yet implemented
• Study planning will occur in 2010; study will begin in 2011
• Initial MSF funding will exceed $1.25 million
• The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will document the interaction of rider attributes, behaviors, roadway, adjacent vehicles and environments as well as their relationship to crash prevalence and severity
• The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will identify differences between successful and unsuccessful evasive maneuvers
• The MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will identify attributes and habits of safe riders
• Continuous collection of data with greater detail will enable comprehensive countermeasure development
• Compiled data set may be used to answer research questions that arise in the future

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourse nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

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