Each year there are over 2,200 motorcycle crashes reported in NSW. They are only 4% of all road crashes, but account for 10% of all deaths and 7% of all injuries on our roads. The following information covers all serious motorcycle road crashes reported to Police for the period 2000-2004 (RTA, 2005).

The good news is that although the number of motorcycles on the road has increased by 50% since 1995, this has not led to a corresponding increase in crashes. However, for the first time in nine years, there was an increase in the number of motorcycle crashes in 2004.

Some facts about motorcycle crashes in NSW, 2000-2003

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total
Degree of accidents	n	n	n	n	n	n
Fatal	67	76	56	65	61	325
Injury	1,992	2,084	2,062	1881	2,054	10,073
Non-casualty(tow-away)	219	188	174	208	211	1,000
Total crashes	2,278	2,348	2,292	2,154	2,326	11,398
Degree of casualty
Killed	62	70	55	59	58	304
Injured	2,032	2,158	2,135	1,936	2,103	10,364
Total casualties	2,094	2,228	2,190	1995	2,161	10,668

When we talk about motorcycle crashes, it is important to distinguish between the three main categories of motorcycle crash: single vehicle crashes, collisions with other vehicles where the rider was at fault and collisions where the other driver was at fault. The key vehicle is the term used for the vehicle whose action led to the crash. The pie chart below illustrates the proportions of crashes in each of these three categories.

Single vehicle crashes

Almost four out of ten reported motorcycle crashes are single vehicle crashes. Most of these crashes are due to rider error, but more than one in five single vehicle motorcycle crashes are associated with loose gravel, pot holes, oil or other road surface hazards. Over the past five years (2000-2004) 16 motorcyclists were killed and 1,023 were injured in crashes associated with such hazards.

Collisions with other vehicles
After a consistent four year downward trend, there was an unexpected 8% increase in the number of collisions with other vehicles in 2004. Almost two thirds (61%) of these collisions were due to the action of the other driver.

Collisions due to the other driver failing to see or give way to a motorcyclists are most likely to occur at intersections. Seventy percent of collisions at roundabouts and t-junctions, and 73% of collisions at cross roads were due to the other driver.

Riders need to be aware that t-intersections are high risk areas with almost a third (30%) of all collisions and 20% of all fatal collisions occurring at t-intersections. Collisions at cross roads are less common (18%) but include 13% of fatal collisions.

Apart from intersection crashes, other drivers were most likely to cause a crash with a motorcyclist when changing lanes (10%), making a U-turn (8%) or emerging from a driveway (6%).

1. Motorcycle crashes tend to take place in daylight (71%) and fine weather (85%); only 11% occurred on wet roads and only 6% when it was raining.
   
   
2. The majority (53%) of motorcycle crashes were in the Sydney area. Only 13% of crashes occur on country roads, but these include 31% of fatal crashes.
   
   
3. Most crashes (70%) occurred on straight sections of road and over half (55%) were at intersections.
   
   
4. Most crashes (68%) take place on roads zoned 60 km/h or less; only 13% of crashes take place on roads zoned 100 km/h or more. Fatal crashes are relatively more likely to occur in faster speed zones. Forty three percent (43%) of fatal crashes take place on roads zoned 60 km/h or less; 34% take place on roads zoned 100 km/h or more.
   
   
5. The other driver was the key or responsible vehicle in 61% of collisions with a motorcycle, but 71% of intersection crashes and 48% of non-intersection crashes.
   
   
6. Cars were the key vehicle in 76% of all crashes with motorcycles, light trucks were the key vehicle in 18% and heavy vehicles in only 4%. Cars were less likely to be the key vehicle in fatal crashes (46%), compared to light trucks (37%)and heavy vehicles (14%).
   
   
7. Single vehicle crashes accounted for 39% of all motorcycle crashes and 39% of all fatal motorcycle crashes. This is a higher rate of single vehicle crashes compared to 23% of car crashes.

Riders involved in crashes

Young riders are involved in a high proportion of crashes relative to their involvment in motorcycling. Riders under the age of 26 are involved in approximately 30% of all crashes but are the registered owners of only 10% of motorcycles in NSW. Riders aged over 40 are involved in 25% of crashes but own some 50% of all motorcycles.

Young people are less likely to own a motorcycle, but those who do are relatively more likely to be involved in crashes. However the situation for young riders does appear to be improving. The graph below compares the crash rate for young riders (under 26) in 1995 to 2004. Their crash rate per 10,000 registered motorcycles has decreased from 871 to 632 crashes. The crash rates for older riders has remained relatively low. In 2004 there were 2261 crashes per 10,000 registered motorcycles for riders aged 26-39 and 122 crashes for those over 40 years.

The majority of riders (70%) involved in crashes hold standard licences; 6% of riders involved in crashes are unlicensed or disqualified.

1. Only 10% of motorcycles are registered to owners under 26 years of age, but this age group account for 30% of the riders involved in reported crashes and represent 32% of riders in fatal crashes.
   
   
2. Older riders own 50% of registered motorcycles but are far less likely to be involved in crashes (25% of all motorcycle crashes). However the proportion of older riders in crashes has increased from 14% in 1995 to 25%. They are 27% of the riders in fatal crashes.
   
   
3. Riders with Standard licences are involved in 71% of all motorcycle crashes compared to 5% holding Learner and 2% Provisional licences. Unlicensed and disqualified riders are involved in 6% of crashes. The kicence status of the remaining 17% of riders in crashes is not recorded.
   
   
4. A relatively small proportion of motorcycle crashes involve pillions (6%), however crashes by unlicensed riders are more likely to involve a pillion casualty (11%).

Rider behaviour

The crash statistics suggest that motorcyclists have a higher involvment in drink driving and speeding crashes than other motorists.

However if unlicensed riders are removed from the data, the picture becomes quite different. Compared to other vehicle drivers, licensed riders are involved in a substantially higher proportion of crashes classified as speed related (23% vs 17%), but they are no more likely to be involved in drink driving crashes than other motorists. Unlicensed riders