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variables were summarised into five reliable
scales encompassing the areas: identification
with «riding a motorcycle», «Self-assessment of
riding capabilities», «Motives for riding», «Safety
behaviour» and «Motorcycle-specific know-
ledge».
The statistical analysis of the considerable
datasets yielded, in essence, the following
results. Motorcyclists are mostly men, of all age
groups. Someone with a long history of riding,
has completed motorcycle-specific training, can
accurately assess his riding capabilities, has a
good income, but is not university educated, and
rides his motorcycle very often during his leisure
time, is less likely to give up riding a motorcycle
than those who poorly assess their riding
capabilities, have not been riding for long, only
have a category A1 licence, in comparison earn
less, but are nevertheless well educated, and for
whom the motorcycle is simply of means of
transport.
Over the approximately 10-year time frame of
the study there were some changes amongst the
surveyed motorcyclists. Over the period, the
majority had acquired a higher category driving
licence which allowed them to drive bigger
motorcycles. At the same time, the yearly
kilometres travelled by riders decreased with
increasing age. Particularly those with scooters
remained loyal to their choice of vehicle type,
these riders were also distinguished by having a
practical relationship to their motorcycles. In
relation to a change in attitudes over the period
of the study, the results clearly show that there
are certain opinions which are fixed, while
others have proven to be less constant. Almost
all respondents were consistent in their criticism
of riding a motorcycle after consuming alcohol;
in terms of exceeding the speed limit, however,
they were less consistent in their criticism. A
large proportion of respondents confirmed that
they had exceeded the limit, at least on
occasion. One group endorsed the protection
strategy: «Wearing of reflective clothing»,
another group rejected this. Both groups
maintained their view over the duration of the
study period.
A quarter of respondents attended at least one
motorcycle-specific, voluntary training course
over the period of the study. Courses which
offer purely refresher training appear to be less
attractive than courses which focus on concrete
danger-avoidance strategies. An analysis based
on the principle «Number-Needed-to-Treat»
shows that 16 people per year must take part in
a course in order to prevent one medically-
treated motorcycle injury in 10 years. Per year,
approximately 6,200 people participate in
courses recommended by the Council for Road
Safety, thus some 39 injuries due to motorcycle
accidents per year can be prevented.
Around 16% of the sample of active motorcycle
riders has experienced at least one motorcycle
accident with injury to person(s) in the last 10
years. As the basis for multiple regression
analyses, various univariate correlations between
accident history, behaviour and attitude
responses were calculated. The logistic
regression resulted in the following results: well
educated persons with little riding experience
and high yearly kilometres travelled have a
higher likelihood of having an accident when
their motivations for riding are highly emotional
and the speed limit is disregarded.
bfu-Report Nr. 59 Zusammenfassung / Résumé / Riassunto / Abstract 19