For years ABATE of Washington and other motorcycle groups and riders have met with legislators and other state agency officials trying to inform and educate them on the basic knowledge on motorcycle helmets. Even their own documents have been used to demonstrate their lack of proper information on even the most basic concepts regarding motorcycle helmets. At one point during a legislative hearing, a Washington State Patrol Captain actually was reduced to stating that helmets protected riders from debris like "flying lugnuts". Motorcyclists have sat down and met with agency officials to discuss even the most basic information in the hopes that finding a common and correct basis for discussion could be found. From there, progress could be made with both sides having good information that decisions can be based upon. However, it is becoming quite clear that WTSC is much more concerned with their political agenda than it is in facts when it comes to motorcycle safety.
Take a moment to watch this short video from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. See if you can catch the blatant error this video makes within the first four seconds. The WTSC and its constituent member organizations have been supposedly "listening" to us for decades. Yet still can't get even this most basic fact right about helmets.
At the three-second point of this video, the caption reads; 'WEARING D.O.T. APPROVED HELMETS". There is no such thing as a "D.O.T. Approved" helmet. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration does not "approve" helmets. Or any other piece of equipment that they have created the D.O.T.standard for. The federal helmet standard (FMVSS-218) sets the minimum specifications for motorcycle helmets. However, it does not even require manufacturers to test the helmets before they self-certify that the helmets meet the standard. Manufacturers merely need to believe their helmet can meet the specification in order to self-certify the helmet meets the D.O.T. standard. This certification will stand until the model helmet is randomly chosen for independent laboratory testing. If the helmet fails testing its certification is revoked. But little chance the thousands of owners of that model helmet will receive that knowledge.
After so many years of listening to this very basic fact, the WTSC still can't even seem to get it right. If they were ever actually listening in the first place. Would it not seem logical for a governmental agency to at least accept facts when presented with the proof of the fact by the government agency that determines the fact? This is the opposite of what has happened. Numerous times, members of the WTSC have been shown documents from NHTSA stating that they do not test or approve helmets. Yet WTSC has continued for decades to use the term D.O.T. APPROVED HELMETS.
The fact that the D.O.T. standard is by far the lowest, minimal standard is rarely if ever mentioned by WTSC. The other helmet standards require testing and have a much higher impact force than do D.O.T. helmets. The impact velocity of a D.O.T. helmet is 13.4 mph. This is the same as if you were sitting stopped on your motorcycle and fell over sideways, striking your head. No forward velocity is even factored in by the standard.
The second video would also seem to cast doubt as to whether the WTSC has ever listened to motorcyclists, or even seriously considered and realized that motorcycles are inherently different than automobiles. This video starts with the classic trope of motorcycles accounting for only 4% of registered vehicles, yet 15% of fatalities. Think about that for a moment. Picture the average automobile with an occupant in your mind. Now, imagine a motorcycle and a rider. See any difference? Rather obvious, isn't it? While the statistic that 75% is due to rider error is correct, it is only partially correct. The initial loss of control and primary impact with the road surface may be due to rider error, but it is often the secondary impact with a fixed object that tends to be of a higher risk statistically.
The following statistic that on average, 39 motorcyclists die during July, August, and September, is a red herring. It is statistically true, but only because there are a much greater number of motorcyclists riding during those months. Would it not seem strange if fatalities should spike during a period with low ridership?
The following stat regarding 50% of fatalities involved speed & lane departure can also be misleading. Partially due to the fact that if you are involved in a crash, and you land beyond the centerline, it is noted as a "lane departure". This stat also ties in with a very strong correlation to the 75% rider error stat. For example; if you are riding through a flat corner, let's say 5 mph over the limit and you realize the corner is reducing in diameter, and you lay the bike down. You as the rider were in error for going too fast. However, you survived the impact with the ground and slid across to the outside of the turn (lane departure) before striking the post of the guardrail at an angle and velocity that resulted in death. Studies have shown that roadside fixed objects, like guardrails, are 7 times more likely to be fatal to a motorcyclist than the initial impact with the road surface. According to an NHTSA report, 50% of guardrail related fatalities are motorcyclists. Automobiles have protective shells and other features to protect their occupants. Motorcyclists have only what we wear. That is a key point that WTSC officials seem to be unable to grasp totally.
Another point I would like to comment on about this video is regarding all the motorcycles in it are riding on a track and not a roadway. Watch the bikes, and disregard the words as you do. These riders are not maintaining lane position as they would on a roadway. They are doing what on a roadway would be "cutting the corner" to maintain a close line on left curves. They are practicing riding skills, but what the video shows them doing would likely result in crashes with other vehicles, and definitely could be called "lane departures". That is great to do on a track because there is no traffic coming the other way. But there is an old adage that "you do as you train". If you train to take a left-hand curve close to the inside of the curve as possible on the track, you may do just that on some remote series of "S" curves in the mountains. Which if traffic is coming the other way, it may lead to some tragic results. Yet the WTSC video sees nothing contrary between their safety statistics message, and the motorcycles riding in the same video.
Then finally, of course, there is the requisite referral to "Target Zero". The desired reduction to zero serious injury or fatal crashes in Washington by 2030. The WTSC always makes references to the goal, but rarely provides substantive concepts on how to reach their goal.
There are more videos that I will be critiquing. But for now, these two are a good start. Besides, some of the others I will be describing more the manipulative way the videos are put together to push an agenda more than simply discuss a subject.
Catch you on the road sometime...
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