Deaths and serious injuries among female motorcyclists

Deaths and serious injuries among female motorcyclists

Motorcyclists are a relatively vulnerable road user group. They have less protection and a higher risk of serious injury in the event of a crash than vehicle occupants. ATSB discussions with motorcycle organisations suggested that the number of female motorcyclists is increasing. Any change in the pattern of road use has implications for road safety.

Prevalence of serious casualties among motorcyclists

Motorcycle riders and pillions constitute around 10 to 13 per cent of all road deaths each year. In 2003, there were 1,625 road deaths, of which 188 (11.6 per cent) were motorcyclists.

In 2003, 16 female motorcyclists were killed, accounting for 8.5 per cent of all motorcyclist deaths and around one per cent of all road deaths (Table 1). From 1999 to 2003, between 38 and 53 per cent of female motorcyclist deaths were pillion passengers. Pillion passenger deaths accounted for between one and four per cent of male motorcyclist deaths during the same period.

Motorcyclists account for 18 to 20 per cent of all people seriously injured on the roads each year. In the 200102 financial year, the latest 12-month period for which data are available, there were 22,775 people seriously injured, of whom 4,486 were motorcyclists (Table 2).

In the 200102 financial year, 355 female motorcyclists were seriously injured, accounting for 7.9 per cent of all motorcyclists seriously injuried and around 1.6 per cent of all people seriously injured on the road.

Trends in serious female motorcyclist casualties

The relatively small numbers and large fluctuations from year to year mean there is no statistically significant trend in female motorcyclist deaths (Figure 1).

Serious injury data may provide a better trend measure as larger numbers are involved. Serious injury data were only available for three financial years. Caution should be used in interpreting the data as three years are not sufficient to determine a statistically reliable trend.

The data provide no clear indication that the numbers of female motorcyclists seriously injuried are increasing. The number of seriously injured female motorcyclists increased from 313 in the 19992000 financial year to 352 in 200001; followed by an increase of three in 200102 to 355 (Figure 2).

The popularity of motorcycling among females

As no suitable national data are available to illustrate the popularity of motorcycling among females, motorcycle licence data from the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) have been used. NSW licence data were chosen as NSW is the most populous state. Underlying the use of these data is the assumption that licence patterns in NSW are indicative of the rest of Australia.

In 2003, females comprised 9.6 per cent of all licenced motorcycle riders in NSW. The number of licenced female motorcycle riders in NSW increased from 35,804 in 1999 to 38,569 in 2003, an increase of 7.7 per cent (Table 3). The total number of licenced motorcycle riders increased by 4.3 per cent over the same period.

Table 3: Licenced motorcycle riders by gender, New South Wales

Year Female Male Total

1999 35,804 347,495 383,858
2000 36,920 353,664 391,179
2001 37,728 357,135 395,493
2002 39,223 365,050 404,924
2003 38,569 361,160 400,370

Per cent increase

19992003 7.7 3.9 4.3

Road Deaths Australia, Monthly Bulletin; March 2008

Road Deaths Australia is a monthly bulletin presenting the latest fatal road crash data as well as recent historical comparisons. It is produced using monthly data supplied by the eight states and territories.

• There was a total of 137 road deaths in March 2008.
  - this is a 8.7 per cent decrease from the March 2007 figure.
• There have been 359 road deaths in 2008 to the end of March.
  - this is an 11.1 per cent decrease from the same 3 month period in 2007.

Injury of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People due to transport, 2001-02 to 2005-06

This report looks at the death and serious injury of Indigenous persons in Australia due to transport accidents in the five-year period 2001-02 to 2005-06. It focuses on the four jurisdictions of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland and examines variables such as mode of transport, gender, age group and remoteness from an urban centre.

Fumes event - en-route from Sydney to Albury, New South Wales, VH-RXX, Saab AB 340B

On 5 August 2007 at 1407 Eastern Standard Time, a Saab Aircraft AB 340B, registered VH-RXX, was being operated on a scheduled passenger service from Sydney to Albury, NSW. It was the aircraft's first flight of the day and the first flight after a routine compressor wash carried out on the engines.

An odour, which had been apparent inside the aircraft during the preflight procedure and taxi, and which was described as 'similar to curry', became much stronger from just before rotation until about two minutes after takeoff. Believing the fumes were caused by compressor wash fluid and would dissipate, the flight crew elected to continue the flight.

The manufacturer of the compressor wash fluid confirmed that, when heated, it would produce an odour similar to curry.

The operator reported that their compressor wash procedure had been followed, and was unable to explain the subsequent ingress of fumes to the cockpit and cabin of the aircraft.

Transport Department function

The Transport Department functions under the provisions of section 213 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. The Transport Department is primarily established for enforcement of the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1963 and the rules framed there under. Of various types of transport facilities available road transport plays a unique role as the best mode of transport for relatively short distances connecting the rural areas with towns and cities for which other modes of transport are not readily suited. In this regard, the Transport Department of Andhra Pradesh assists other organizations in the development of transport facilities and endeavors to provide an efficient, adequate and economic transport service for the movement of passengers and goods by road.

In discharging statutory functions, the department has shaped up as one of the major revenue earning departments to the Government in the shape of taxes on motor vehicles.

Vehicle Transport Fitness Certificate

It is mandatory that all the transport vehicles (commercial) have valid fitness certificate. Absence of certificate of fitness affects the validity of registration of vehicle apart from constituting an offence for violation of conditions of road permit attached to vehicle.

A fitness certificate issued shall remain valid for two years in case of newly registered vehicle and one year for other kind of vehicles.

On expiry of validity, application for renewal has to be submitted tendering the requisite fee, in which case vehicle is to be produced for inspection and verification by Motor Vehicle Inspector before granting renewal of Certificate of Fitness.

An application for Fitness Certificate has to be submitted in Form CFA accompanied by the following :

• Registration Certificate.
• Insurance Certificate.
• Permit.
• Emission Certificate.
• Valid Tax.

Benefit of Railroad Transport

In addition to cost competitiveness and efficiency, freight railroads offer huge public benefits.
First, they have major advantages in energy efficiency over other modes. On average, railroads are three times more fuel efficient than trucks, and railroad fuel efficiency is improving all the time. In 1980, U.S. railroads moved a ton of freight an average of 235 miles per gallon of fuel. In 2002, the comparable figure was 404 miles, a 72 percent increase.

Second, railroads are environmentally friendly. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that for every ton-mile, a typical truck emits roughly three times more nitrogen oxides and particulates than a locomotive. Other studies suggest trucks emit six to 12 times more pollutants per ton-mile than do railroads, depending on the pollutant measured. Railroads also have a clear advantage in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the EPA, railroads account for just 9 percent of total transportation-related NOx emissions and 4 percent of transportation-related particulate emissions, even though they account for 42 percent of the nation's intercity freight ton-miles.
Third, freight railroads significantly alleviate highway congestion. A single intermodal train takes up to 280 trucks (equivalent to more than 1,100 cars) off our highways; a train carrying other types of freight takes up to 500 trucks off our highways. Overcrowded highways act as an "inefficiency tax" on our economy, seriously constraining economic growth. Freight railroads help relieve this restriction by reducing gridlock, enhancing mobility, and reducing the pressure to build costly new highways.
Fourth, railroads have major safety advantages over other modes. For example, railroads are the safest way to transport hazardous materials. Railroads and trucks carry roughly equal hazmat ton-mileage, but trucks have nearly 16 times more hazmat releases than railroads.