Stats Stats and More Stats

[wkid_one]

I have attached some interesting 'reports' from the LTSA - if you are so inclined to read them - as I am.

The most interesting report is the Table 34 - which shows the accident by type.

Some summary

• Nigh on 700 crashes involving injury (ie - involving ACC) - but only 30 deaths (yes only is a dismissive word I suppose).
• Loss of control is the biggest factor causing death.
• Loss of control is the biggest factor on the open roads, mainly while cornering.
• But in urban situations, intersections cause the most injury - many of which were caused by 'failing to give way to right'. Nothing unexpected here.
• Motorcycles account for only 6% of the vehicle fatalities on NZ roads in 2002 - with most being under 40.
• NO fatal crashes on bikes involved alcohol.
• NO fatal crashes on bikes were deemed to be due to excess speed!!!!
• Again - bikes only contribute to about 6-7% of all roading injurie

Meh - we aren't as bad as we think.

There were 3600 bikes registered in 2002.

30 accidents mean 1% fatality rate -which isn't flash

[riffer]

So using those statistics we can expect to have on average 10 kiwibikers lose their lives every year?

That's not good.... :disapint:

Do they mention what was the predominant cause of the fatal accidents? I couldn't find it....

[riffer]

Doh! my bad... see table 34.

[tuscan]

Sorry, reading the reports seems like a big effort and I'm meant to be studying anyway, but I was wondering what % of road users are on bikes.

Also are many killed on urban roads? :spudwhat:

[tuscan]

OK don't worry I've read them myself...

They should have a years-of-experience table as well I reckon, but as usual seems us young-uns are over represented... I guess that's to be expected.

Somewhat off the topic, but does anyone else really not like that shiny seal stuff they use to repair urban roads. At night time in the rain it gets bloody slippery . Or maybe its just my skinny tyres...

[MD]

Maybe I'm on the wrong tack but the deaths are constant from the 40s to 1973 when it doubles and stays constant at this higher level until 1984 when it leaps up again. 1991 onwards see a rapid reduction. What influenced these steps?
I was a beginner rider in 76 so from my observations. Prior to 73 riders only had one choice of bike -British. The Jap bikes took off (sales wise, not so much speed) from early/mid 70s putting more riders on the road and petrol soared at the same time. But I'm speculating the Jap bikes soon gave more performance than riders were used too (Mach 3s, Yam RDs, Fours, Z1 ...) and this lead to increased deaths. 1984 was about the time that horsepower outputs shot up dramatically towards 100hp, a big leap froma few years earlier.
Jap 2nd hand car imports came along late 80s (I think?) which certainly had young Uns taking up cheap cars instead of bikes hence less inexperienced riders on the roads by early 90s lowered deaths.
Good to see we don't drink and ride and don't take out pedestrians. As Wkid said its cornering and right hand turns that get us. Now we know we will still rush off in search of that next exhilarating corner.

[vifferman]

Somewhat off the topic, but does anyone else really not like that shiny seal stuff they use to repair urban roads. At night time in the rain it gets bloody slippery . Or maybe its just my skinny tyres...

Y'mean tar snakes? Horrible nasty things, and they're slippery in the dry too. No, it's not just your skinny tyres. It's almost like they're specially designed to be as slippery as possible.

[riffer]

Y'mean tar snakes? Horrible nasty things, and they're slippery in the dry too. No, it's not just your skinny tyres. It's almost like they're specially designed to be as slippery as possible.

Thank goodness you guys have trouble with them too. I thought it was just me. Haywards Hill has a few nasty ones and seal which doesn't cover the road probides funnny "lips" in the wrong places ie middle of an off camber corner.

[V Twin Raver]

Y'mean tar snakes? Horrible nasty things,

I am glad you mention those, I thought it was just me being a nancy. In the wet they make your tyres slide even if you are riding straight & in the upright position!!! They give me the shits!!! Heaps of them on urban streets around Mt Eden.

[Hitcher]

Thank goodness you guys have trouble with them too. I thought it was just me. Haywards Hill has a few nasty ones and seal which doesn't cover the road probides funnny "lips" in the wrong places ie middle of an off camber corner.

Phew! And I thought it was just my crap riding on this stretch of road, probably intimidated as well by the lovely cheese-cutter median barrier...

[wkid_one]

Basically - you can ride pissed down the straights on the open road as no biker has died here - so your odds a pretty good!!!

Scary in a way when you put it in to terms like CN6.

I also read www.r1-forum.com and they are forever posting about members and friends of members who are killed will riding - very sobering.

What we also have to put in to perspective is that there are only somewhere between 3600-4000 registered bikes out there. This figure hasn't been growing too rapidly either.

[Hitcher]

What we also have to put in to perspective is that there are only somewhere between 3600-4000 registered bikes out there. This figure hasn't been growing too rapidly either.

So this auspicious web site represents the views of between one-third or one-quarter of the registered bikers in New Zealand? Woo hoo!

[scumdog]

Funny that one about speed not being a factor in m'bike crashes, just reviewed a case where two bikes hit an oncoming truck on a down-hill left hand bend, said truck was on its side of the road grinding its way up the hill at about 25-30k, both bikes low-sided, one went smack into the centre of the nice chrome bumper, the other one hit behind the front wheel of the truck, the rider of that one ended up a bit dead under the truck front axle and the other guy got a visit to hospital.
Bend had 45k advisory sign, 6 other bikes had just got around it ok but these two were prety much on the centre line when they went down, second guy had tons of time to react too. (his bike hit the bumper)
No oil./rain/ice in the factor either.

[wkid_one]

Funny that one about speed not being a factor in m'bike crashes, just reviewed a case where two bikes hit an oncoming truck on a down-hill left hand bend, said truck was on its side of the road grinding its way up the hill at about 25-30k, both bikes low-sided, one went smack into the centre of the nice chrome bumper, the other one hit behind the front wheel of the truck, the rider of that one ended up a bit dead under the truck front axle and the other guy got a visit to hospital.
Bend had 45k advisory sign, 6 other bikes had just got around it ok but these two were prety much on the centre line when they went down, second guy had tons of time to react too. (his bike hit the bumper)
No oil./rain/ice in the factor either.

Is that speed - or poor cornering/skill?

The report is labelled Speed deemed 'inappropriate' for the situation - not excess speed.

[scumdog]

Is that speed - or poor cornering/skill?

The report is labelled Speed deemed 'inappropriate' for the situation - not excess speed.

Wellll, sure they PROBABLY weren't doing over a 100k but it is still speed related, to put in the proviso "inappropriate" is splitting hairs a bit, the crash still involved excess speed (as the corner had a real big 45k advisory sign).

Maybe the statistic guys should have a section labelled "Speed in excess of the legal limit on that section of road" - that would make it a bit clearer.