ABSTRACT
Introduction
it is estimated that more than 180,000 motorcycle users are killed in road crashes each year around the world (Naci et al., 2009). Motorcyclists are certainly vulnerable road users, with fatality rates as a function of distance travelled generally about 30 times greater than for car occupants (Johnston et al., 2008; National center for statistics and Analysis Research and Development, 2008). The number of motorcycles is increasing in many developed and developing countries (Jamson and Chorlton, 2009; Paulozzi et al., 2007) with consequent increases in fatalities and injuries. The increase in motorcycling means that there are many new riders, who lack experience. Inexperience has been shown to be a major factor in motorcycle crashes (Rutter and Quine, 1996; Mullin et al., 2000) and the common response by governments is to apply graduated licensing principles or systems that have been developed from learner driver research. However, the characteristics of the operators, the vehicles, the importance of road environment factors and usage patterns differ between motorcycles and cars. This chapter will describe these differences and examine the applicability of the findings of learner driver research to learner motorcyclists. it will then discuss the implications for interventions to improve the safety of learner and other motorcyclists.
