Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Motorcycles”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

State helmet laws and motorcycle rider death rates.

Motorcycles are the most dangerous form of motorized transportation. Per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists are about 3 times as likely as passenger car occupants to be injured in a crash, and 16 times as likely to die. Because the majority of these deaths are caused by head injury, safety advocates have recommended mandatory use of motorcycle helmets. Others contend that state laws mandating helmet use infringe on motorcyclists' rights, and question whether such laws really reduce motorcycle deaths and injury. Scientific evidence cannot address the appropriate balance between personal freedom and public safety, but it can address the effectiveness of mandatory helmet laws. This Issue Brief summarizes a new analysis of the effects of motorcycle helmet laws on death rates, and points out the need to account for other potential factors when comparing death rates across states.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2003

Motorcycle helmets and head injuries in Kentucky, 1995-2000.

Motorcycle crashes are common occurrences in Kentucky, and often result in injury or death. The use of motorcycle helmets may improve injury outcomes. Data collected from University of Louisville Hospital trauma center were used to investigate the association between motorcycle helmet use and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), severe head injuries, and acute care hospital charges. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were used for analysis. Motorcycle drivers who did not wear helmets were more likely to incur a TBI (OR = 4.33, 95% CI: 2.60-7.20), severe head injuries (OR = 4.36, 95% CI: 2.58-7.37), and higher acute care hospital charges (beta = $26,618, 95% CI: $8670-$44,565). Kentucky's failure to require mandatory helmet use may increase incidence of TBI and severe head injuries among motorcyclists, and cost state government millions of dollars to pay for care for uninsured or Medicaid patients.

Brain Injuries↗
PubMed1992

[Accidents with bicycles and motorcycles. The injury pattern, costs, and possibilities for prevention].

This review comprises all 641 patients subjected to inpatient treatment in 1976, 1980 and 1984 at the Basel district hospital after accidents involving bicycles or motorcycles. A study of the case histories--supplemented by phone conversations--yielded the following results: Accidents involving bicycles or motor-driven bicycles were seen in all age groups, but motorcycle accidents occurred exclusively among the younger generation. Whereas motorcycle accidents mostly happened during joyrides, accidents with bicycles or mobikes mainly occurred on the way to work. The incidence rate was highest during summertime and in the rush hours at noon or in the evening. Motorcycle accidents resulted in more severe injuries, longer hospitalisation, longer periods of disability and higher costs than bicycle or mobike accidents the latter being mainly characterised by mostly slight head injuries and the former by injuries of the legs and arms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Motorcycle helmet use and related risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults in Northern Thailand.

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of not wearing a helmet (unprotected) while riding a motorcycle and associated risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults in Northern Thailand. Participants were 1725 students, aged 15-21 years, from 3 vocational schools in Chiang Rai Province; 51.8% were male. Participants completed a classroom-based computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI). Of men 72.7% and of women 64.4% reported unprotected motorcycle riding 3 times or more in the past week. Logistic regression analysis showed the variables independently associated with unprotected riding to be history of ever riding after having had 3 or more alcoholic drinks (odds ratio (OR) = 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.76-2.21), attending technical school (OR = 2.09, 95% Cl = 1.55-2.83), living with the family (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.10-1.73), and having ever had a traffic accident (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.12-1.29). Being of hill tribe ethnicity (vs Thai lowlander) was associated with protected riding (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.20-0.90). Adolescents and young adults in Chiang Rai are at high risk for riding a motorcycle without a helmet buckled on the head. Public education in combination with enforcement of compulsory helmet use while riding a motorcycle is recommended.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Motorcycle helmet use in Texas.

Helmets worn by motorcyclists decrease head injuries and the likelihood of being killed in a crash by about 30 percent. From 1968 to 1977, Texas had a comprehensive motorcycle helmet use law, which was estimated to have saved 650 lives. But the law was amended in 1977 to apply only to motorcycle operators and passengers under age 18. In September 1989, a new law was passed that required helmets for all motorcycle operators and passengers. Observations of helmet use were conducted before and after the law took effect in 18 Texas cities using a survey design providing a cross-section of urban and suburban traffic across the State. The surveys indicated that helmet use increased from less than 50 percent just before the law to 90 percent immediately after, and it increased further to more than 95 percent 2 months later. These results confirm the unique effectiveness of comprehensive helmet use laws in applying the proven public health benefits of helmets to the reduction of motorcycle injuries and deaths.

Head Protective Devices↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Motorcycle accidents in Nigeria. A new group at risk.

Multiple injuries often characterise motorcycle accidents. Head injury which is particularly common is a major cause of mortality, hence the enforcement of the law compelling all riders to wear helmets in most countries. The law collapsed in Nigeria about a decade ago. With the motorcycle becoming an important part of public transportation, infants, children and other age groups not usually associated with motorcycle accidents have become involved in the risk. A case of four month old baby with head trauma is presented to illustrate the point. The collapse of the law on helmets should be considered a temporary set back, and a new look taken at the challenges of motorcycle accidents.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1990

[Driver identification of the motorcycle in motorcycle/car accidents].

A series of motorcycle/car collision experiments and in-depth investigations involving motorcycle/car accidents with two riders were carried out in order to study the difference in behavior and injuries between the driver and the passenger of the motorcycle during a collision, and to provide general data for identifying their seat positions on the motorcycle in traffic accidents. In all the tests, two Hybrid II dummies were seated on the double seats of the motorcycle as riders. The motorcycle collided against the front door, front end or rear door of the passenger car at a speed of 50 km/h, at impact angles of 60 degrees, 90 degrees or 120 degrees. The speeds of the passenger car were tested at 0 km/h or 25 km/h. With different speeds of vehicles and different impact angles, the difference in rider behavior between the driver and the passenger was distinctly verified by analysis of high speed films. It is possible to distinguish the driver's injuries from the passenger's. The abrasion and/or contusions in the chest, face and groin area were severe for the drivers, but less serious for the passengers. The typical injuries of the driver can be expected in terms of the rider behavior during collision from 25 ms to about 150 ms after starting contact. The data and information can be used to clarify the question of who was driving in accident reconstruction.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2003

Motorcycle emissions and fuel consumption in urban and rural driving conditions.

This work reports sampling of motorcycle on-road driving cycles in actual urban and rural environments and the development of representative driving cycles using the principle of least total variance in individual regions. Based on the representative driving cycles in individual regions, emission factors for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)=NO+NO(2)) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)), as well as fuel consumption, were determined using a chassis dynamometer. The measurement results show that the representative driving cycles are almost identical in the three largest cities in Taiwan, but they differ significantly from the rural driving cycle. Irrespective of driving conditions, emission factors differ insignificantly between the urban and rural regions at a 95% confidence level. However, the fuel consumption in urban centers is approximately 30% higher than in the rural regions, with driving conditions in the former usually poor compared to the latter. Two-stroke motorcycles generally have considerably higher HC emissions and quite lower NO(x) emissions than those of four-stroke motorcycles. Comparisons with other studies suggest that factors such as road characteristics, traffic volume, vehicle type, driving conditions and driver behavior may affect motorcycle emission levels in real traffic situations.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1975

Injury patterns in motorcycle collisions.

This report describes the incidence, nature, and severity of trauma for injuried and medically treated motorcyclists in Sacramento County, California in 1970. Using official police reports, hospital admission, and emergency-room medical records, 1,273 persons with a confirmed medically treated motorcycle injury were identified. Since less than 39% of all injured motorcyclists were identified in this study by use of official police reports only, statistics which rely solely on these reports greatly underestimate the frequency of motorcycle collision injuries in the community. The annual injury incidence was 2.0 per 1,000 population, with peak incidence injury rate for male drivers 18 years of age. Slightly more than 4% of all registered motorcycles were involved in an injury-producing collision in a single year. Almost 45% of injured motorcyclists suffered a serious injury, with injuries to the musculoskeletal system in the form of fractures being the most common. The average length of hospital stay was 12 days, and three-fourths of those injured indicated one or more days of disability. Physicians should be alert to the fact that persons injured in motorcycle collisions commonly sustain multiple fractures and other serious injuries.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1986

Moped and motorcycle accidents--similarities and discrepancies.

Injury patterns and epidemiologic data from 211 moped accident victims and 214 motorcycle accident casualties admitted to hospital over a 5-year period (1977-1981) have been analyzed and compared. The number of those injured in motorcycle accidents tripled; the number of moped accident victims slightly decreased in the period studied. Differences in injury pattern, sex ratio, cause of accident, and age distribution were noted. Among mopedists, head injuries were more common but these injuries decreased significantly after the adoption of helmet use laws for mopedists also in 1978. There were more females involved in moped accidents and the mean age was considerably higher among mopedists. Of those injured in moped accidents, 21% were 60 years old or older and accounted for 56% of fatalities in this group. The most frequent cause of moped accidents was collision with a car, and over turning or running off the road in motorcycle accidents. The difference in injury severity was unexpectedly small, although there was a tendency toward more severe injuries in motorcyclists. Moped accidents are so similar to motorcycle accidents that it seems unjustified to regard mopeds as harmless 'bicycles with a helper motor.' The need for formal registration, driving license, and helmet use laws for mopeds is apparent.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2001

Motorcycle taxi drivers and sexually transmitted infections in a Peruvian Amazon City.

BACKGROUND: In Iquitos, Peru, motorcycle taxis are a common form of public transportation used both by residents and visitors. GOAL: To evaluate the prevalence of factors associated with sexually transmitted disease risk and of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections among motorcycle taxi drivers working in Iquitos, Peru. STUDY DESIGN: A convenience sample of motorcycle taxi drivers was recruited through street outreach. Participants were confidentially interviewed and provided urine specimens for gonococcal and chlamydial infection testing. RESULTS: A history of sexually transmitted disease (62%) or symptoms in the past year (35%) and of referral of clients to commercial sex workers (60%) was common. The prevalence of gonococcal or chlamydial infection was 3.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Motorcycle taxi drivers are a major means of public transportation in Iquitos, Peru, have high personal risks for sexually transmitted disease, and interface often with at-risk persons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Motorcycle-associated fatalities in Georgia, 1980-1981.

In 1980-1981, 158 motorcycle-associated fatalities occurred in Georgia, accounting for an estimated 6,113 lost years of productive life. Death ratios were highest for men 20 to 29 years of age, and motorcycle-associated fatalities occurred most frequently during summer months, on weekends, and during afternoon and evening hours. Forty-six percent of motorcycle-associated fatalities did not involve another vehicle, and head injuries alone or in combination with other injuries were responsible for death in approximately half. Helmet use, an effective measure for preventing motorcycle-associated fatalities, is required in Georgia; additional injury prevention strategies are discussed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1980

Evaluation of the costs and benefits of motorcycle helmet laws.

Since 1976, 28 states have repealed or significantly amended their motorcycle helmet laws. The change in legislation was not based on an evaluation of the costs and benefits of such laws. This paper attempts such an assessment by comparing the cost of motorcycle helmets with the medical costs averted due to helmet use using data primarily based on motorcycle crashes in Colorado, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. Nationwide, at least $61 million could be saved annually if all motorcyclists were to use helmets. Helmet law repeals have been observed to lead to a 40 to 50 per cent point reduction in helmet use. The associated additional medical care costs substantially exceed cost savings produced by reduced helmet use. It is estimated that helmet law repeals may produce annually between $16 and 18 million of unnecessary medical care expenditures. Several alternatives to increase motorcycle helmet use are briefly discussed. It is concluded that helmet laws are effective in encouraging helmet use among motorcyclists and will prevent unnecessary medical expenditures as well as unnecessary pain and suffering among injured motorcyclists.

Colorado↗
PubMed1995

Helmet use by drivers and passengers of motorcycles in Pamplona (Spain), 1992.

In 1992 a new Traffic Rules Code was enacted in Spain. This Code included a helmet law that came into force on 1 September 1992. Since then, helmet use is compulsory for motorcycles in urban areas. Previously, helmet use had been obligatory only for motorcycle in highways. To evaluate driver and passenger compliance with the helmet law, an observational prevalence survey of helmet use in Pamplona (a city of 183,539 inhabitants in the north of Spain) was performed. The utilization of helmet by motorcycle drivers and their passengers was recorded three months before and three after the helmet law took effect. Helmet use increased from 19.7% in the first period to 94.8% in the second period. After the law took effect helmet use was higher among drivers 97.5% than among passengers 77.5%. Passengers used helmet more frequently when the driver was also using helmet. The prevalence ratio of helmet use, in those passengers whose driver used helmet versus those who didn't, was 9.91 (95% CI = 1.52, 64.83). Health education and law enforcement efforts should be targeted to drivers to prevent them from giving a ride to passengers without helmet.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2004

Antiestrogenic effects of motorcycle exhaust particulate in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and immature female rats.

The emissions from 2- and 4-stroke motorcycles pollute the air of urban areas where motorcycle is a popular means of transportation. This study aimed to determine the endocrine-disrupting activity of motorcycle exhaust particulate (MEP) using MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and immature female Wistar rats treated with organic extracts of MEP. Treatments with 1, 10, and 50 microg/ml MEP extract for 2 and 4 days produced dose-dependent inhibition of thymidine incorporation and cell growth, respectively, in untreated and 1 nM 17beta-estradiol (E2)-treated cells. Treatments of MCF-7 cells with MEP extract replaced [3H]E2 from the estrogen receptor in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. These antiestrogenic and receptor binding properties of MEP extract were blocked by cotreatment of the cells with 2 microM alpha-naphthoflavone, a cytochrome P450 inhibitor and aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist. E2 metabolism and HPLC analysis showed that treatment of MCF-7 cells with 50 microg/ml MEP extract for 24 h increased E2 2- and 4-hydroxylation in microsomes. The MEP-mediated increase in E2 2-hydroxylation was inhibited by the addition of 1 microM alpha-naphthoflavone to MCF-7 microsomes. Cotreatment of immature female rats with 10 microg/kg E2 and 10 mg/kg MEP extract intraperitoneally for 3 days decreased the E2-induced uterine weights. MEP extract alone showed no effect on rat uterine weight. The endocrine-disrupting activity of MEP extract was further confirmed in parallel experiments using MCF-7 cells and immature female rats treated with benzo(a)pyrene, an MEP constituent compound. The present findings demonstrate that MEP extract is antiestrogenic in vitro and in vivo and cytochrome P450 induction is an underlying mechanism.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1987

The prevention of injury from motorcycle use: epidemiologic success, legislative failure.

Following the repeal of the North Dakota mandatory motorcycle helmet law in 1977, the State Highway and Health Departments initiated a study to examine the impact of the change on driver safety. Motorcycle crash data gathered by the State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies was augmented by death and injury reports submitted to the State Health Department by medical care providers. The combined data set produced 2934 crashes, 2162 traumatized victims, 3718 injuries and 53 deaths between January 1977 and December 1980. Reporting from medical providers increased the volume of crash reports, improved the reliability of the highway data and added an unrecognized population of victims to the data base. In spite of the clear indication that injuries and deaths had increased among motorcycle users who rode without helmet protection, legislative passage of a mandatory helmet law in either the 1979 or the 1981 North Dakota legislative session failed. The reasons behind the legislative rejection of efforts to improve highway safety are examined. The forces that affect politics are reviewed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1993

The association of helmet use with the outcome of motorcycle crash injury when controlling for crash/injury severity.

Many studies have reported that helmet use by motorcycle riders significantly decreases their risk of head injury, death, and disability in the event of a crash. However, these studies have not controlled for crash severity and thus do not conclusively show the value of helmet use by motorcycle riders. Using data from a statewide trauma registry, the present study examines the association of helmet use with various outcomes of motorcycle crashes, controlling for overall crash severity as measured by a modified Injury Severity Score. The results show that in crashes where the overall degree of injury was comparable, the risk of head injury in hospitalized motorcyclists was nearly twice as high for unhelmeted riders as it was for helmeted riders, thus confirming the protective effects of helmet use. However, there were no significant differences in various measurements of resource utilization, including days in hospital, hospital charges, and need for post-hospital rehabilitation. A higher incidence of extremity injuries among the helmeted riders may account for their failure to demonstrate consistently lower resource utilization, despite lower rates of head injury.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1995

Marijuana and other drug use among automobile and motorcycle drivers treated at a trauma center.

Serum from injured automobile and motorcycle drivers treated at a trauma center was tested for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol activity to determine precrash marijuana use. From June 1990 to March 1991, samples from approximately 20 automobile drivers per month and all motorcycle drivers were available for testing. Also, toxicology screens were performed for ethyl alcohol, cocaine, and phencyclidine (PCP) among the driver groups. Six (2.7%) of the 225 automobile (AUT) drivers and 34 (32.0%) of the 106 motorcycle (MTC) drivers were THC+ (p < .001). Compared with a prior study, the THC+ rate decreased significantly from 31.8% among AUT drivers (p < .001) but had not changed significantly from the 38.6% rate among MTC drivers. Positive toxicology rates were higher among the 261 MTC drivers compared to the 1,077 AUT drivers tested for ETOH, CO, and PCP, being 47.1% vs 35.2% (p < .001), 5.0% vs 8.0% (p < .08), and 1.5% vs 3.1% (NS), respectively.

Accidents, Traffic↗