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PubMed1997

Subjective symptoms among motorcycling traffic policemen.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the prevalence of subjective symptoms among current and former motorcycling policemen. METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 46 current and 72 former motorcycling traffic policemen from a certain city located in the central part of Japan. They were requested to reply to questions on a self-administered questionnaire regarding age, work history, and subjective symptoms (16 items) during the month preceding the completion of the questionnaire. RESULTS: Shoulder stiffness and low-back pain were frequently encountered. On the whole, the prevalence of subjective symptoms was higher among the current motorcycling policemen, even though they were younger. Assessing the prevalence of subjective symptoms by the median value of experience of motorcycle riding revealed that the high-exposure subgroup in the group that currently ride motorcycles had higher prevalence rates for all the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of subjective symptoms among currently motorcycling traffic policemen seems to be transient, and it declines after the cessation of motorcycle riding or the reallocation to other worktasks, such as office work.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Head injury--associated deaths from motorcycle crashes. Relationship to helmet-use laws.

A review of US mortality data from 1979 to 1986 identified 15,194 deaths and nearly 600,000 years of potential life lost before age 65 years that were associated with head injuries from motorcycle crashes. White males from 15 to 34 years of age accounted for 69% of the deaths. The rate of motorcycle-related deaths associated with head injury declined modestly between 1979 and 1986 (19% using rates based on resident population and 8% based on motorcycle registrations). Population-based rates adjusted for age, sex, and race in states with partial or no motorcycle helmet-use laws were almost twice those in states with comprehensive helmet-use laws. Two states that weakened their helmet-use laws from comprehensive to partial during the study period had increases in motorcycle-related head injury death rates (184% and 73%), and one state that strengthened its law from partial to comprehensive had a decline in its death rate (44%). Head injury death rates based on motorcycle registrations were also lowest in states with comprehensive helmet-use laws. Since helmets reduce the severity of nonfatal head injuries in addition to lowering the rate of fatal injuries, we urge the adoption and enforcement of comprehensive motorcycle helmet-use legislation.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1988

A study of reported injury accidents among novice motorcycle riders in a Scottish region.

A study is reported of the effect of sex, age, cubic capacity, and training on the rate of reported injury accidents in a cohort of 304 first time learner motorcycle riders resident in the Lothian and Borders of Scotland in 1983. Motorcycle in this paper includes all types of registerable two wheeled motor vehicle. Injury accidents as reported by the police were observed in this cohort over an average period of one year. The overall reported injury accident rate within the cohort was 8.2 per hundred riders. This rate does not seem to be markedly different to the Scottish rate for all riders. It was found that the cubic capacity of the motorcycle was the single most important risk factor of the four studied. The risk was disproportionately high in the 200+ cc category. Lower reported injury accident rates were observed for females and trained riders but these differences did not reach statistical significance mainly due to the low numbers of these two categories within the cohort. Contrary to popular assumption, younger riders within this cohort did not have higher injury accidents. A large proportion of the riders who had been involved in injury accidents within the cohort and who had registered 50 cc motorcycles were found to be riding higher capacity (mainly 200+ cc) motorcycles at the time of accident. There was a very low uptake of motorcycle training (7.3%) by the cohort. Approximately 15% of the cohort was female, a higher percentage than those reported by other studies.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1994

Accuracy of fatal motorcycle-injury reporting on death certificates.

This study identifies differences in motorcycle injury fatality statistics gathered from different sources. Police Accidents Reports (PARs), identifying fatal motorcycle injuries occurring in Connecticut during 1987 were matched with state death certificates. Matched death certificates were analyzed in three major areas: content, coding, and motorcycle fatality reporting. Death certificates underreported motorcycle fatalities by 38% compared to PARs. Forty percent of death certificates were missing some or all of the required information: 7 did not include the word motorcycle, 18 did not contain acceptable ICD-9 terminology for a motorcyclist, and 17 did not describe how the injury occurred. Forty-one percent of death certificates contained external cause of injury code (E-code) errors. Incomplete information on death certificates was responsible for 52% of inaccurate reporting and E-code errors for 48%. The accuracy of fatal motorcycle injury cause of death reporting on death certificates could be improved by better physician training and rapid implementation of both the computerized death certificate coding systems and upcoming ICD-10 classification system.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1996

Injuries sustained by motorcycle riders in the approaching turn crash configuration.

A common crash configuration involving a motorcycle and another vehicle is termed the 'approaching turn collision', which occurs when a vehicle turns left into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Although research has explained some causes of approaching turn collisions, few studies have described injury outcomes specific to approaching turn collisions involving motorcycles. All fatally injured and a sample of over 3500 nonfatally injured motorcycle riders treated in one of 28 hospitals in 11 California counties were included in this analysis if the crash occurred in 1991 or 1992 and both a police crash report and matching medical diagnoses were available. Injuries sustained by motorcycle riders in approaching turn collisions were compared with injuries sustained by motorcycle riders in other crash types. Injuries occurring when the motorcycle was the left-turning vehicle were compared to those occurring when the car is the left-turning vehicle. Riders in approaching turn collisions had increased lower extremity and abdominal injuries, but less frequently had head, chest, and facial injuries than riders in other crash types. The average ISS score, percent fatally injured, and average number of days in the hospital were greater for riders in approaching turn collisions than riders in other crash types, except the head-on collision. Possible strategies to reduce injuries from approaching turn collisions are discussed. The complexity of turning actions, particularly judgements of speed, could potentially be an intervention point to reduce crash occurrence.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed2006

Self-reported motorcycle riding behaviour among school children in India.

Studies on traffic accidents among underage users of motorcycles are seldom seen in literature. This study was done in Yamunanagar, India where boys as young as 8 years ride motorcycles. It attempts to find out the behavioural and non-behavioural factors leading to motorcycle use and the predisposition to accidents among male school children aged between 10 and 16 years. A questionnaire was used to evaluate those factors among 1760 subjects in 38 schools. Fifteen percent of subjects had had an accident while riding motorcycle. Most of the behavioural and all the non-behavioural factors have a statistically significant influence on accident proneness. Aggressive behaviour and previous encounter with the police are the two strong predictors of accidents (p<0.001). Children as riders are exposed to higher risks of accident and longer life with disability. It also explains how these children behaviourally take up adult roles and seek adult risk taking attitudes. The implications of child motorcycle riders upon children themselves and on the society are discussed for a greater discourse on road safety motorcycle riding policy and to highlight the behavioural and non-behavioural factors that are associated with traffic accidents.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1995

Motorcycle trauma in the state of Illinois: analysis of the Illinois Department of Public Health Trauma Registry.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the current morbidity and mortality of motorcycle trauma in the state of Illinois and, specifically, to assess the incidence and cost of head injury to motorcycle crash patients according to their helmet use. DESIGN: Retrospective, cross-sectional examination of the Illinois Department of Public Health Trauma Registry, for which data are available from July 1, 1991, through December 31, 1992. Data are collected from all hospitals designated as Level I or Level II trauma centers in Illinois. PARTICIPANTS: All patients involved in motorcycle crashes and subsequently taken to a Level I or Level II trauma center in Illinois and entered into the trauma registry during the period studied. RESULTS: Head injury, spinal injury, helmet use, demographic data, hospital charges, days in ICU, and source of payment were selected as outcome measures. During the 18-month study period, 1,231 motorcycle trauma patients were entered into the trauma registry. Eighteen percent were helmeted and 56.0% were nonhelmeted. In 26.0% the helmet status at the time of the crash was unknown. Thirty percent of the helmeted patients sustained head injury and 4% sustained spinal or vertebral injury, compared with 51% and 8%, respectively, for nonhelmeted patients. Nonhelmeted patients were significantly more likely to sustain severe (Abbreviated Injury Score [AIS], 3 or more) or critical (AIS, 5 or more) head injury. Patients with these serious head injuries incurred almost three times the hospital charges and used a disproportionately larger share of ICU days than those with mild or no head injuries. There was a trend toward greater use of public funds or self-pay status (no insurance) for payment of hospital charges in nonhelmeted patients. CONCLUSION: Motorcycle helmet nonuse was associated with an increased incidence of serious head injury. Motorcycle trauma patients with severe or critical head injuries used a significantly greater proportion of ICU days and hospital charges than those with mild or no head injuries.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2004

Motorcycle ownership and injury in China.

BACKGROUND: China has made tremendous progress in its economic development in the past two decades. Accompanying this economic development has been an evident shift in the modes of transport, from walking and cycling to the use of motorcycles and, increasingly, four-wheel vehicles. Such changes are likely to have also produced changes in the patterns and numbers of road traffic injuries, including increases in motorcycle injuries. However, such changes have not been well documented. The work described in this paper sought, therefore, to document the changes in motorcycle ownership, motorcyclist mortality and injury rates in China since 1987. METHODS: National traffic ownership and injury data from 1987 to 2001 were obtained from the National Bureau for Traffic Administration. Additionally, traffic ownership and injury records from 1997 to 2001 were collected from local police offices from 20 counties in Guangxi Region. Population data were obtained from the national and county statistics bureaus. Motorcycle ownership, fatality and injury trends over time were calculated. RESULTS: Nationally, motorcycles accounted for 23.4% of all registered motor vehicles in 1987, increasing to 63.2% in 2001. Motorcyclist fatalities and injuries increased 5.5-fold and 9.3-fold, respectively, between 1987 and 2001. In 1987, 7.5% of all traffic fatalities and 8.8% of all traffic injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, with the corresponding proportions increasing to 18.9% and 22.8%, respectively, in 2001. The changing proportions of both traffic fatalities and injuries sustained by motorcyclists were positively correlated with the change in the proportion of motorcycles among all motor vehicles. In the 20 counties in Guangxi, motorcyclist fatality and injury rates also increased between 1997 and 2001. Moreover, these rates were considerably higher than the national rates. CONCLUSIONS: Motorcyclist injury in China is a serious public health problem. Motorcyclist fatalities and injuries are likely to continue to increase unless appropriate intervention programmes are implemented.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1995

The impact of two related prevention strategies on head injury reduction among nonfatally injured motorcycle riders, California, 1991-1993.

Although the traumatic injury death rate in the United States decreased during the last 20 years, the percent of all injury deaths attributable to brain injuries has remained steady. Head injuries are a leading cause of injury among motorcycle riders in crashes, and the helmet is an effective measure to reduce these injuries. To reduce the burden and cost of motorcycle injuries, many states have increased helmet use by introducing mandatory helmet legislation. This report presents evidence on the effects of the motorcycle helmet and helmet use legislation--two interrelated prevention strategies which decrease traumatic brain injury among motorcycle riders. Nonfatally injured motorcyclists were included if they crashed between January 1, 1991 and December 31, 1993 and were treated in one of 18 hospitals in 10 California counties. Medical records for all injured motorcyclists admitted to these 18 hospitals and those treated in the emergency department and released in eight of these hospitals were individually reviewed. Complete lists of injury diagnoses for each rider were coded according to the 1990 Abbreviated Injury Severity Scale by trained clinical staff. Before the universal helmet law was introduced (when only a third of injured riders wore helmets) 38.2% of riders sustained head injuries. When helmet use increased to over 85% of injured riders following the law, less than 25% of riders sustained head injuries. Both the severity and the number of head injuries per individual rider decreased after the mandatory helmet use law led to increased helmet use. Riders wearing helmets suffered fewer skull fractures, fewer intracranial injuries, had less frequent and shorter periods of loss of consciousness, more favorable GCS scores, and shorter hospital stays. Mandatory motorcycle helmet use laws are an effective mechanism to increase helmet use among riders and thus prevent head and brain injuries resulting from motorcycle crashes.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2006

Economic impact of motorcycle helmets: from impact to discharge.

BACKGROUND: The economic impact of helmet use remains controversial. Previous studies of injured motorcyclists suggest a marginal inpatient hospital cost difference between helmeted and unhelmeted riders. The purpose of this study was to expand the economic analysis of motorcycle helmet utilization to the point of injury by including motorcycle crash patients who do not require hospital admission. METHODS: Prehospital motorcycle crash data were collected from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) General Estimates System (GES) database from 1994 to 2002 with respect to helmet use, injury severity, and transport to a hospital. A focused literature search yielded the hospital admission rates of helmeted and unhelmeted motorcyclists evaluated in the emergency department. The National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) was queried from 1994 to 2002 to collect data including helmet use and hospital charges for injured motorcyclists. Cost analysis was performed by linkage of the queried databases and data from the literature. Statistical comparisons between groups were performed using an independent samples t test and chi analysis. RESULTS: The NHTSA GES database yielded 5,328 sample patients. 1,854 patients (34.8%) were unhelmeted and 3,474 (65.2%) were helmeted. Transport to a hospital was required of 78.6% of unhelmeted and 73.3% of helmeted patients (p < 0.01). Of motorcyclists evaluated in the emergency department, 39.9% of unhelmeted and 32.8% of helmeted patients required hospital admission. NTDB analysis of injured motorcyclists from the concomitant interval yielded 9,033 patients in whom helmet use data were available and 5,343 patients for whom associated hospital cost data were available. Unhelmeted motorcyclists incurred charges of 39,390 dollars + 1,436 dollars per injury, whereas helmeted motorcyclists incurred charges of 36,334 dollars + 1,232 dollars per injury. Mathematical extrapolation derived a charge of 12,353 dollars per unhelmeted and 8,735 dollars per helmeted motorcyclist for every crash with a difference of 3,618 dollars between helmeted and unhelmeted riders involved in a motorcycle crash. CONCLUSIONS: With a current estimate of 197,608 motorcycle crashes/year in which 69,163 riders were unhelmeted, the differential healthcare economic burden between unhelmeted and helmeted motorcyclists is approximately $250,231,734 per year and underscores the need for improved legislation to improve motorcycle helmet utilization.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1995

Young on-road motorcyclists in New Zealand: age of licensure, unlicensed riding, and motorcycle borrowing.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of unlicensed riding and motorcycle borrowing among young motorcyclists, and to document their perceptions of how they would be affected if the minimum age of licensure were raised. METHODS: Motorcycling was investigated as part of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a broad longitudinal study of the health, development, attitudes, and behaviours of a birth cohort. Young motorcyclists, who had ridden on-road during the year before their interview at age 18 years, completed a computer administered questionnaire containing questions about licensure, riding frequency, and motorcycle borrowing. RESULTS: Of the 217 motorcyclists identified, 36% were licensed, 54% had ridden once a month or less frequently, and 72% had usually ridden a borrowed motorcycle during the one year recall period. Significantly more licensed than unlicensed riders and owners than borrowers reported higher exposure and significantly more licensed than unlicensed riders were owners. Most licensed riders (86%) had ridden on public roads before licensure, and many (54%) thought that they would have been much affected by a higher minimum age of licensure. CONCLUSIONS: More stringent enforcement of existing licensing regulations, tougher penalties for breaching graduated driver licensing restrictions, raising the minimum age for motorcycle licensure, and prohibiting the sale or lending of motorcycles to unlicensed riders are possible injury prevention strategies.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed2000

Increasing age and experience: are both protective against motorcycle injury? A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the associations between age, experience, and motorcycle injury. SETTING: Motorcycle riding on non-residential roads between 6 am and midnight over a three year period from February 1993 in Auckland, New Zealand. METHODS: A population based case-control study was conducted. Cases were 490 motorcycle drivers involved in a crash and controls were 1518 drivers identified at random roadside surveys. Crash involvement was defined in terms of a motorcycle crash resulting in either a driver or pillion passenger being killed, hospitalised, or presenting to a public hospital emergency department with an injury severity score > OR =5. RESULTS: There was a strong and consistent relationship between increasing driver age and decreasing risk of moderate to fatal injury. In multivariate analyses, drivers older than 25 years had more than 50% lower risk than those aged from 15-19 years (odds ratio (OR) 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26 to 0.81). In univariate analyses, a protective effect from riding more than five years compared with less than two years was observed. However, this protection was not sustained when driver age and other potential confounding variables were included in the analyses. Familiarity with the specific motorcycle was the only experience measure associated with a strong protective effect (OR (> OR =10,000 km experience) 0.52; 95% Ci 0.35 to 0.79) in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Current licensing regulations should continue to emphasise the importance of increased age and might consider restrictions that favour experience with a specific motorcycle.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1991

Motorcycle licensure, ownership, and injury crash involvement.

The interrelationships among motorcycle licensure, ownership, and injury crash involvement were investigated in a sample of 2,723 motorcycle drivers severely or fatally injured in California in 1985-86. Owners of motorcycles in such crashes ("driver-owners") were less likely to have valid licenses than a random sample of motorcycle owners who had not been in crashes (42 vs. 57 percent). Thirty-three percent of the crash-involved drivers had valid motorcycle driver's licenses; 39 percent were operating motorcycles they did not own ("driver-nonowners"). Driver-nonowners were less likely to be validly licensed than driver-owners (20 percent vs. 44 percent). The licensing rate of crash-involved driver-nonowners was 15 percent if the owner was also unlicensed. Rates of valid licensure were lowest among the youngest drivers. Virtually no crash-involved driver-nonowners under age 21 were licensed in cases in which the owner was also young and unlicensed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1997

Pingueculae and pterygia in motorcycle policemen.

PURPOSE: Pinguecula and pterygium are speculated to be associated with corneal and conjunctival microtrauma from exposure to sunlight and/or dust. Occupational motorcycle driving is suspected to be associated with such exposure, so we investigated the prevalence of pingueculae and pterygia in motorcycle policemen. METHOD: Silt lamp finding obtained by periodic eye checkup for policemen (783 motorcycle policemen and 207 control indoor workers) together with questionnaire were used for analyses. All pingueculae and pterygia were diagnosed under the definite criteria. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of pingueculae was 590/1,566 eyes (37.7%) among motorcycle policemen against 127/414 eyes (30.6%) among the indoor workers (p < 0.01). Besides, with increasing age, the prevalence of pingueculae in the motorcycle policemen clearly exceeded those among the indoor controls. The prevalence of pterygia were very small to be analysed. CONCLUSION: Our results exhibited a significant relationship between occupational motorcycle driving and the prevalence of pingueculae. Thus it is strongly suggested that they should wear eye protection equipment (goggles, face shield and so on) to prevent from developing these lesions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Motorcycle limb injuries in a developing country.

BACKGROUND: Motorcycles have become a very popular means of transportation in Nigeria. This paper is a hospital based study of limb injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents in an urban centre in Nigeria. METHOD: All patients reporting to the emergency department of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife with limb injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents between June 1998 and May 1999 were selected for this prospective study. RESULT: One hundred and fifteen (79.3%) out of the 145 victims of motorcycle accidents that reported to the hospital had injuries involving their limbs. The Male: Female ratio was 2.8:1. The mean age was 31.9 +/- 16.7 (S. D.) years, and 20-29 years; the most commonly involved age group. 42.2% were due to collision with automobiles, 22% pedestrian while 8.7% were collisions between motorcycles. The use of protective/safety devices was practically non-existent. Seventy-six (66.1%) patients had lower limbs injuries, 25 (21.7%) patients had upper limb injuries while the remaining 14 (12.2%) injured both upper and lower limbs. The tibia was the most commonly fractured bone (32 patients, 27.8%) followed by the femur (25 patients, 21.7%). Eighty-six patients (74.8%) with fractures were managed by close reduction and splinting. Eighteen (15.7%) patients had internal fixation. CONCLUSION: Motorcycle accident is an important cause of limb injuries in the developing worlds. Motorcyclists need to be encouraged to use protective/safety devices.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1986

Handlebar vibration of a motorcycle during operation on different road surfaces.

In Japan daily motorcycle mail deliverers have been exposed to vibration from the handlebars of their motorcycles. Handlebar vibration was measured during the operation of a motorcycle in order to evaluate the hazardous effects of vibration and to identify preventive measures against the vibration hazards. Tests were made on asphalted, unpaved, and packed-snow road surfaces. The tested motorcycles were selected from the many motorcycles in daily use. The test motorcycle was a 1-cylindered, 89-cm3, 4-cycle machine. The direction showing the maximum value of vibration acceleration was not always in the directions of X, Y, and Z proposed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The maximum vibration acceleration level exceeded the exposure guideline of ISO, while its frequency corresponded to that of the engine speed during operation. Vibration of greater than 20 Hz was transmitted through the front forks from the road surface and tires.

Fingers↗
PubMed2002

Case studies in contact burns caused by exhaust pipes of motorcycles.

Contact burns caused by the exhaust pipe of motorcycles are rarely reported. We performed retrospective studies of such cases in 78 patients with complete records. The majority of victims were unmarried (75.7%), young (<25 years, 70.5%), and female (69.3%), dressed mostly in short pants or mini skirts (75.7%). The burn accident occurred mostly in late spring and early summer (52.7%), during rush hours (57.7%), and during parking the motorcycles (65.4%). The burn wounds located mostly on the lateral aspect (46.2%) of the lower leg, usually took 3-4 weeks for complete healing. Continuous monitoring of the exhaust pipe and its outside cover on moving motorcycles showed that the temperature reached 170-250 and 40-60 degrees C, respectively. For the prevention of these injuries, our suggestions include well-designed external shield with adequate separation from the exhaust pipe, motorcycle parking lots of adequate width (>120cm), the wearing of trousers by motorcyclists, decrease of the density of motorcycle traffic, and development of the electric assisted cycle in place of the fuel-driven motorcycle.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Some epidemiologic features of motorcycle collision injuries. I. Introduction, methods and factors associated with incidence.

Using official police reports and hospital admission and emergency room medical records, 1273 persons with confirmed medically treated motorcycle injury were identified in Sacramento County, California, during 1970. Less than 39% of all injured motorcyclists were identified in this study using only official police reports. The annual incidence rate was highest for 18-year-old male drivers. In addition to age of driver, risk of injury was associated with drivers of short stature (less than 173 cm) operating an intermediate or larger size motorcycle. Risk of injury was higher for drivers with training than for those without training or those who operated their motorcycles frequently regardless of type of use. Risk of injury was not related to make of motorcycle but was related to engine size. Two-thirds of the injury-producing collisions involved a motorcycle and a second motor vehicle. Motorcycle collisions occurred most fre quently during the afternoon and early evening hours and during the summer months, but peaks in incidence of collisions occurred during weeks which included a holiday.

Accidents, Traffic↗