Rider Behavior

Motorcyclists’ riding behavior and choices significantly impact rider crash risk and injury risk in the event of a crash. This section contains research with a primary focus on rider behavior and choices. By being aware of these factors and taking proactive measures to mitigate risks, motorcyclists can enhance their safety and reduce the likelihood of crashes.

Rider behavior is often identified as the most common and most critical factor affecting rider risk. Rider behavior can be defined as concepts related to a rider’s riding/driving mannerisms and actions. Knowing, analyzing and understanding rider behavior is the key factor in preventing or reducing motorcyclist crashes. Motorcyclist safety advocates, state motorcyclist safety program managers, policy decision makers and elected officials can use this research information to implement countermeasures.

The literature, however, on motorcyclist riding behavior reveal issues, problems, challenges, and research gaps.

Here are a few rider behaviors or choices that impact crash risk:

Rider Behavior Studies

2023 – “The Development of Motorcycle Accident Models Based on Riders’ Characters”

Different individuals may behave differently towards certain situations, leading to accidents. This study aims to model the relationship between the riders’ personalities, riding performance, and the probability of being involved in an accident. These results indicate the need to research road safety that is differentiated by sex and its characteristics based on it.

2022 – “A Comprehensive Review on the Behaviour of Motorcyclists: Motivations, Issues, Challenges, Substantial Analysis and Recommendations”

This review of 174 articles systematically investigates the literature on motorcyclist driving behaviour to present many findings related to the issues, problems, challenges, and research gaps that have existed over the last 10 years (2011–2021). The final number of articles was divided into three main groups: reviews (7/174), experimental studies (41/174), and social studies-based articles (126/174).  Recommendation topics and research gaps are identified.

2020 – “A Review of Behavioural Issues Contribution to Motorcycle Safety”

The objectives of this paper are to unveil and analyse certain behavioural patterns of riders influencing the motorcycle mishaps through literature reviews on various aspects of riding behaviours including the lack of visibility and alertness, and speeding issues. This is important for a comprehensive and broad understanding of the riders' behavioural and performance traits associated with speeding, visibility, and alertness issues. Thus, collisions due to these issues may be avoided. This study summarizes 104 selected articles.

2019 – “Impact of Riders’ Lifestyle on Their Risky Behavior and Road Traffic Accident Risk”

The main aim of the study was to determine how lifestyle dimensions of male motorcyclists influence the risky behavior of motorcyclists and their involvement in traffic accidents. Life style variables such as Motorcycle as a hobby, Aggressiveness, Motorcycle addiction, and Alcohol and drugs were positively correlated with Rule violations and speeding. Similar relations we found with second factor of Risky behavior, i.e., Self-assertiveness, which was significantly positively correlated with Aggressiveness, Motorcycle addiction, and Alcohol and drugs.

2015 – “Relationships Between Motorcyclists’ Behavioural Perceptions and Their Actual Behaviour”

The paper deals with studying the relationships between the motorcyclists’ thinking about proper behaviour and their actual behaviour in the traffic. The impact of some control variables, such as riders’ age, experience, driving history, and engine cubature, on actual behaviour, is also addressed here. The results show that the higher awareness about alcohol danger and benefits of protective equipment and helmet can noticeably contribute to the bigger traffic safety. Besides, from the results is evident that the control variables are in most cases also significantly interrelated with the actual behaviour factors.        

2011 – “A Study of Motorcycle Rider Braking Control Behavior”

This document reports a study wherein a motorcycle riding simulator was used to study how non-expert motorcycle riders use conventional brakes in emergency braking situations. Braking behavior data were obtained from recordings of rider control inputs, motorcycle response, and interactions with other vehicles. There were no cases where the rider-subject used only the rear brake, though some riders used only the front brake. Analyses of event outcome indicated that a rider’s initial braking, with respect to both timing and magnitude, is important in determining the event outcome.  

2003 – “A Behavioral Comparison between Motorcyclists and a Matched Group of Non-motorcycling Car Drivers: Factors Influencing Accident Risk

Motorcyclists and a matched group of non-motorcycling car drivers were assessed on behavioral measures known to relate to accident involvement. Using a range of laboratory measures, we found that motorcyclists chose faster speeds than the car drivers, overtook more, and pulled into smaller gaps in traffic, though they did not travel any closer to the vehicle in front.  We suggest that the increased risk-taking behavior of motorcyclists was only likely to account for a small proportion of the difference in accident risk between motorcyclists and car drivers.