Abstract

Compared to other vehicle drivers, motorcycle riders vulnerable road users as they have lack of protection in the case of a crash. Therefore, motorcycle riders are often associated with high injury risks in the case of crashes. Also, it is widely recognized that motorcyclists have a particularly high crash risk, but our knowledge of the mechanisms avoiding this crash risk is incomplete. Different factors affecting the motorcycle crashes consisting environmental, road, vehicle, and human elements. However, literature produced mixed results on the importance of different factors. These inconsistencies may be because differences in traffic composition at the road, driver behavior, vehicle, and road factors in different geographical areas studied. Other reasons may be difference methodologies for data collection or different statistical methods for data analysis. Hence, it is important to conducted more studies using different estimation techniques and data from different geographical areas to provide a more complete picture on the safety effects of these factors. The present research investigates the risk factors of crashes involving motorcycles and contributory causes using data from Sri Lanka. The binary-logistic regression technique was used to model the severity of motorcycle crashes in Sri Lanka during the five-year period from 2009 to 2013. Various characteristics such as environment, roadway, driver, and vehicle are analysed investigating the Odds-ratios so that potential countermeasures can be developed to improve roadside safety. More frequent crash conditions for motorcycle crashes occurred while driving on rural roadways, driving during week days, and driving newer motorcycles. Dry road surfaces, clear weather conditions predominantly characterized motorcycle-crashes. This study adds detailed information about characteristics of motorcycle crashes and measures to improve motorcycle safety in Sri Lanka to the transportation safety literature.