Background Thanks to numerous public information and education campaigns, legislation, and strong state and national leadership, nearly everyone knows the dangers of drinking and driving an automobile. In fact, it has become socially unacceptable to drink and drive. Alcohol and other drugs hinder car driving skills, such as judgment, reaction time, and general awareness.

What most people fail to realize is the extreme danger of operating a motorcycle while impaired, either after one drink or while intoxicated. While current messages and legislation addressing impaired driving also include motorcyclists, research shows that unless specifically targeted to motorcyclists, the messages and legislation have no effect. Physically, motorcyclists are affected by alcohol in the same way as car drivers. However, what motorcyclists (and even traffic safety program administrators) may overlook is that it takes more coordination and alertness to operate a motorcycle than it does to drive a car.

Fact: In 1995, motorcycle operators in fatal crashes had higher intoxication rates than any other type of operator.

Impaired Motorcycle Operator Characteristics
Motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes in 1995 had a higher intoxication rate than any other type of motor vehicle driver: motorcycle operators, 29.1 percent; light truck operators, 22.9 percent; and passenger car operators, 19.2 percent.

Crash Data The chart below compares the proportion of passenger car drivers and motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .10 or higher from 1982 through 1995. Notice that the proportion of intoxicated passenger car drivers has steadily decreased while the proportion of intoxicated motorcycle operators remained constant until recent years.

Proportion of Drivers/Operators Involved in Fatal Crashes with BAC .10 or Higher, 1982-1995

In 1995:

• Of the 869 motorcycle operators who died in single vehicle crashes, 43 percent were intoxicated (BAC of .10+).

• Thirty percent of all fatally injured motorcyclists were intoxicated.

• An additional 11.5 percent of all fatally injured motorcyclists had lower BAC levels than .10.

• Sixty-one percent of motorcycle operators who died in single vehicle crashes on weekend nights were intoxicated.

• Intoxication rates were highest for fatally injured operators between the ages of 30 and 39 years.

Recent Research The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored focus groups to learn why motorcyclists ride after drinking. The focus groups revealed useful information regarding the use of alcohol in motorcycling. One of the most important findings was that traditional impaired driving messages have no impact on motorcycle operators. These messages generally target automobile drivers. NHTSA found that unless the messages target motorcyclists specifically, they have no impact on motorcyclists.

Other Findings Include:

• Drinking and riding often go together. Drinking was a routine part of motorcycling events.

• Beer is the drink of choice among motorcycle riders, with whiskey as the second choice. Few riders drink wine. Participants believed that beer, liquor, and wine affect them differently. They also believed that beer produced a mellower, less intense high and that it took more beer to “get drunk.”

• The riders claimed to be aware of the factors that determine how alcohol affects a person, such as mood and body weight. Many claimed that their own ability to handle alcohol was far above average (because their metabolism was different, they were experienced at drinking, etc.).

• Participants believed that BAC levels are set much too low. Many believed that motorcyclists would not be impaired with a BAC of .08 or .10 percent, and underestimated the number of drinks needed to reach an illegal BAC.

• Many riders said that if they knew they were going to drink heavily, they would drive their car instead of ride their motorcycle. Their rationale was that they would be able to drive a car if they were too impaired to ride a motorcycle and the car’s body would offer protection in the event of a crash.

• The threat of injury or death did not appear to be an effective motivator for avoiding drinking and riding.

• The threat of damaging (through a crash or towing) or losing a motorcycle (through impoundment) seemed to arouse more concern.

Prevention Strategies Prevention strategies to reduce the incidence of impaired motorcycle riding are similar to those used to prevent impaired driving. However, it is important to note that these strategies must be modified to meet the needs of the motorcyclists.

Designated Riders A motorcyclist is not likely to allow someone else to operate his/her motorcycle, so the designated driver concept does not work. Also, parking a motorcycle overnight in an unsecured location is not an accepted practice in the motorcycling community. However, having a friend or relative haul the motorcycle to the rider’s home or secure the motorcycle in a safe place until the owner can retrieve it, are viable avenues to an impaired motorcyclist.

Law Enforcement Cues used to detect an impaired motorcyclist are totally different from those used to detect an impaired driver. NHTSA has developed a set of motorcycle-specific impaired rider detection cues that will allow law enforcement to determine if a motorcycle operator is impaired. These materials are available from the address below.

Public Information and Education Based upon the findings of the focus groups discussed earlier, NHTSA, in conjunction with national motorcycle rider organizations, developed a series of public education materials targeted specifically to motorcycle operators. These materials are based in part on the focus group results, as well as behavioral change research. The materials are designed to get young male operators (the preponderance of the problem) to accept responsibility for individual behavior and to realize their actions have a profound effect on others, such as their family and children.

For more motorcycle safety information contact:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Safety Countermeasures Division

NTS-15

400 7th Street, SW

Washington, DC 20590

Phone: (202) 366-1739

Fax: (202) 366-7149

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury