Infrastructure Countermeasures to Mitigate Motorcyclist Crashes in Europe

Nichol, David A. · 2012 · ROSA P / United States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of International Programs

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Summary

This report documents the findings of an international technology scanning study conducted in September 2010 by a U.S. team of transportation experts, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). The study was motivated by a dramatic 144 percent increase in motorcyclist fatalities in the United States between 1996 and 2007, despite declines in passenger vehicle deaths. The team visited Belgium, England, France, Germany, and Norway to evaluate infrastructure improvements, maintenance practices, and traffic operations designed to enhance motorcyclist safety, aiming to identify innovations that could be adapted for U.S. implementation. The methodology involved site visits and consultations with government officials, university researchers, and motorcycle industry representatives in the five selected countries. The team focused on infrastructure countermeasures, behavioral safety programs, legal frameworks, and data management. They analyzed specific design elements such as roadside barriers, pavement friction, traffic control devices, and work zone practices. The study also examined policy differences, including licensing laws, helmet mandates, and the level of cooperation between road authorities and rider stakeholder groups. The team utilized a structured set of amplifying questions to guide their inquiry into agency policies, roadway design issues, and intelligent transportation systems. The primary finding was that most infrastructure safety improvements in Europe benefit all vehicle classes rather than being specific to motorcycles, with the notable exception of motorcycle-friendly roadside barriers. The team observed specialized guardrails designed to prevent riders from sliding under barriers and noted ongoing efforts to standardize crash testing for these devices. Significant differences between the U.S. and Europe were found in behavioral safety, helmet laws, training, and licensing; for instance, many European countries allow teenagers to obtain motorcycle licenses for specific engine sizes, whereas U.S. laws are generally more restrictive. Additionally, European agencies demonstrated strong cooperation with rider groups and employed dedicated motorcycle coordinators to advocate for safety in planning and operations. While overall traffic fatality rates in the visited countries were lower than in the U.S., motorcyclists remained overrepresented in fatalities, accounting for 15 to 20 percent of deaths in each country. The report concludes with recommendations for U.S. implementation, emphasizing the need to fill knowledge gaps regarding motorcycle safety infrastructure and to update design guidelines to better accommodate motorcyclists. The team advised conducting further research on the effectiveness of motorcycle-specific infrastructure, such as specialized roadside barriers, and improving data management to better understand crash patterns. The study highlights that while infrastructure plays a role, significant safety gains may also require addressing behavioral factors and fostering greater collaboration between transportation agencies and motorcycle rider organizations. The findings suggest that adopting European best practices in design standards and stakeholder engagement could help mitigate the rising trend of motorcyclist crashes in the United States.

Key finding

European infrastructure improvements for motorcyclists are largely general safety measures shared with other vehicle classes, with the primary distinctions lying in behavioral safety policies, licensing, and the development of motorcycle-specific roadside barriers.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• helmet protective
• cyclist safety
• motorcycle crash typology
• comparative international
• motorcyclist skill
• motorcycle conspicuity

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes