Antilock Brakes On Motorcycles Might Save Lives In Florida
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 415
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that antilock brakes on motorcycles could save lives.
Antilock brakes are installed in cars and trucks. Typically they are found on touring bikes and a limited number of motorcycles. They add a cost of about $1,000.
Without them, riders who need to stop their bikes abruptly can lock up the wheels or fishtail. The Insurance Institute found that equipping motorcycles with them resulted in a 38 percent lower crash rate.
The Institute studied eight motorcycles with antilock brakes and found there were 6.6 fatal crashes per 10,000 registered motorcycles without antilock in 2005 and 2006. The bikes with antilocks had a 4.1 per 10,000 fatal crash rate.
A second study found antilock brakes reduced collision claims by 21 percent.
"Even though adding antilocks won't make motorcycling as safe as going by car, it's something manufacturers can do to reduce the risk of traveling on two wheels instead of four," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The causes of most motorcycle crashes still need study.
Nationally, more than 5,000 riding motorcycles died last year. A decade ago that number was 2,294. Motorcycle registrations have nearly doubled during the time periods.
The addition of ABS might help slow the soaring death rate of bikers in Florida that spiked after Gov. Jeb Bush signed a law in 2000 that repealed the state’s mandatory helmet law.
Florida exempted adult motorcyclist and moped riders from wearing helmets providing they have medical coverage of $10,000. This resulted in an estimated 48 percent increase in motorcycle rider deaths the following year, and a jump of more than 81 percent in the three years after the repeal took effect according to NHTSA.
In Florida from 2006 to 2007, more than 16 percent of all traffic fatalities were motorcyclists. 521 lost their lives, as well as 29 passengers of motorcycles, according to the Division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
In July 2008, a new Florida law requires every motorcycle rider to take a safety course before they start using the road.
Florida paid a high price for relaxing safety, despite the increased ridership. The addition of ABS can only help reduce deaths on bikes, among pedestrians and on the roadways.