Motorcycle Crash Causation Study: Volume 1—Data Collection and Variable Naming PUBLICATION NO. FHWA-HRT-18-040 FEBRUARY 2019 Research, Development, and Technology Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101-2296 FOREWORD The Motorcycle Crash Causation Study, conducted through the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Research and Development, produced a wealth of information on the causal factors for motorcycle crashes, and its corresponding Volumes provide perspectives on what crash-countermeasure opportunities can be developed. This study used a crash- and control-case approach developed from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development protocols, which as discussed in this report, has provided insights into more than 1,900 data elements that may be associated with motorcycle-crash causation. The research team produced a final report along with a 14-volume series of supplemental reports that provide an overview of the study and a summary of its observations, the data-collection forms and coding definitions, a tabulation of each data element collected from each form, and selected comparisons with previous studies. It is anticipated that readers will select those Volumes and data elements that provide information of specific interest. This document, Volume 1—Data Collection and Variable Naming, describes the data naming conventions, lists 2,600 uniquely named variables produced in the database, and provides a means for users to identify variables of interest. This report will be of interest to individuals involved in traffic safety, safety training, crash and injury reduction, and roadway design and policy making, as well as to motorcycle- and safety-equipment designers, crash investigators and researchers, motorcycle and automotive manufacturers and consumers, roadway users, and human-factors specialists. Brian P. Cronin, P.E. Director, Office of Safety and Operations Research and Development Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. Quality Assurance Statement The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement. Cover photo source: FHWA. TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA-HRT-18-040 4. Title and Subject 5. Report Date Motorcycle Crash Causation Study: Volume 1—Data Collection and February 2019 Variable Naming 6. Performing Organization Code DUNS No. 049987720 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. John W. Nazemetz, Frances D. Bents, James G. Perry, Craig Thor, 1-5-44482-v01 Carol Tan, and Yusuf M. Mohamedshah 9. Performing Organization 10. Work Unit No. Oklahoma State University Westat College of Engineering–Research 1600 Research Boulevard 201 ATRC Rockville, MD 20850 11. Contract or Grant No. Stillwater, OK 74078 Cooperative Agreement No. DTFH61- Dynamic Science, Inc. 06-H-00034 8433 N. Black Canyon Highway Phoenix, AZ 85021 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address: 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Federal Highway Administration Final Report; June 2011–January 2016 Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Mailing Code HRDS-6 HRDS-20 6300 Old Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101 15. Supplementary Notes Contracting officer’s Representatives are Carol Tan, Ph.D. (HRDS-20), and Craig Thor, Ph.D. (HRTM-10), Federal Highway Administration. 16. Abstract The purpose of this study was to gather data on motorcycle crashes by intensive post-crash investigations and control motorcycle observations and interviews conducted in Orange County, CA. The study developed a dataset that researchers can access and use to investigate additional research questions. The database provides data from 351 injury crashes and 702 paired control observations. Of the crashes observed, 82 were single-vehicle crashes, and 269 were multiple-vehicle crashes involving a total of 294 other in-transit vehicles and 11 parked vehicles. Forty crashes resulted in fatalities with 22 single-vehicle-crash and 18 multiple-vehicle-crash fatalities observed. The study compiled observations on rider, passenger, and other-vehicle driver demographics; environmental factors; factors contributing to the crash; motorcycle and other-vehicle parameters; injuries sustained; and clothing/safety equipment used. For crashes, the research team compared observations for crash and control riders, passengers, and motorcycles and other vehicles involved in the crashes. Within the crash observations, the study compiled and compared the data for single- and multiple-vehicle crashes, fatality and non-fatality crashes, along with selected previous studies and elements of the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS)/General Estimates System (GES) and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) databases.(1–3) The data are available in SAS® and ExcelTM formats along with a Coding Manual defining all codes used.(4) 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Motorcycle, Motorcycle Crashes, Hurt Study, No restrictions. This document is available to the public Motorcycle Rider, OECD, Motorcycle Crash through the National Technical Information Service, Causation, Crash Data, Motorcycle Crash Springfield, VA 22161. Investigation http://www.ntis.gov 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 212 N/A Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized. SI* (MODERN METRIC) CONVERSION FACTORS APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS TO SI UNITS Symbol When You Know Multiply By To Find Symbol LENGTH in inches 25.4 millimeters mm ft feet 0.305 meters m yd yards 0.914 meters m mi miles 1.61 kilometers km AREA in2 square inches 645.2 square millimeters mm2 ft2 square feet 0.093 square meters m2 yd2 square yard 0.836 square meters m2 ac acres 0.405 hectares ha mi2 square miles 2.59 square kilometers km2 VOLUME fl oz fluid ounces 29.57 milliliters mL gal gallons 3.785 liters L ft3 cubic feet 0.028 cubic meters m3 yd3 cubic yards 0.765 cubic meters m3 NOTE: volumes greater than 1000 L shall be shown in m3 MASS oz ounces 28.35 grams g lb pounds 0.454 kilograms kg T short tons (2000 lb) 0.907 megagrams (or "metric ton") Mg (or "t") TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) oF Fahrenheit 5 (F-32)/9 Celsius oC or (F-32)/1.8 ILLUMINATION fc foot-candles 10.76 lux lx fl foot-Lamberts 3.426 candela/m2 cd/m2 FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS lbf poundforce 4.45 newtons N lbf/in2 poundforce per square inch 6.89 kilopascals kPa APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS FROM SI UNITS Symbol When You Know Multiply By To Find Symbol LENGTH mm millimeters 0.039 inches in m meters 3.28 feet ft m meters 1.09 yards yd km kilometers 0.621 miles mi AREA mm2 square millimeters 0.0016 square inches in2 m2 square meters 10.764 square feet ft2 m2 square meters 1.195 square yards yd2 ha hectares 2.47 acres ac km2 square kilometers 0.386 square miles mi2 VOLUME mL milliliters 0.034 fluid ounces fl oz L liters 0.264 gallons gal m3 cubic meters 35.314 cubic feet ft3 m3 cubic meters 1.307 cubic yards yd3 MASS g grams 0.035 ounces oz kg kilograms 2.202 pounds lb Mg (or "t") megagrams (or "metric ton") 1.103 short tons (2000 lb) T TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) oC Celsius 1.8C+32 Fahrenheit oF ILLUMINATION lx lux 0.0929 foot-candles fc cd/m2 candela/m2 0.2919 foot-Lamberts fl FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS N newtons 0.225 poundforce lbf kPa kilopascals 0.145 poundforce per square inch lbf/in2 * SI is the symbol for the International System of Units. Appropriate rounding should be made to comply with Section 4 of ASTM E380. (Revised March 2003) ii MOTORCYCLE CRASH CAUSATION STUDY REPORT SERIES This Motorcycle Crash Causation Study (MCCS) research report series is comprised of a final report supplemented by 14-volumes. This document is Volume 1. Each Volume is a description of a data-collection form or protocol used in the MCCS, and any reference to a Volume in this series will be referenced in the text as “MCCS Volume 1,” “MCCS Volume 2,” and so forth. A list of the Volumes is as follows: Volume Title Report Number 1 Data Collection and Variable Naming 18-040 2 Coding Manual 18-039 3 Crash Form Data Tabulation Unpublished, available on request 4 Environment Form Data Tabulation Unpublished, available on request 5 Contributing Factors Form Data Tabulation Unpublished, available on request 6 Motorcycle Rider and Control Rider Forms Unpublished, available on Data Tabulation request 7 Motorcycle Passenger and Control Passenger Unpublished, available on Forms Data Tabulation request 8 Motorcycle Mechanical and Control Motorcycle Unpublished, available on Mechanical Forms Data request 9 Motorcycle Dynamics Form Data Tabulation Unpublished, available on request 10 Injury Form Data Tabulation Unpublished, available on request 11 Other Vehicle Driver Form Data Tabulation Unpublished,