Most head injury related motorcycle crash deaths are related to poor riding practices

To report the characteristics of head injury related motorcycle crash deaths.

Motorcycle crash deaths with head injury (Abbreviated Injury Severity score > or = 2) between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 1999 were identified from the Western Australia State Coronial Database. Demographics, incident and death locations, type of incident and role of unsafe riding behaviour were examined.

There were 39 deaths analysed (35 motorcycle riders and four pillion passengers). The median age was 29 years (range 9-64 years), with 22 deaths (56.4%) in the range 15-29 years and 92.3% of those killed being male. Twenty-one motorcycle crashes were single-vehicle crashes (53.8%). There were 25 deaths at scene (64.1%). Ethanol was implicated in 12 cases (30.8%) and other drugs were implicated in 11 cases (28.2%). Speeding was implicated in 12 cases (30.8%) and a lack of appropriate safety equipment was implicated in five cases (12.8%). One or more of the unsafe practices above was identified in 23 cases (59%). Overall, there was no difference in the rate of unsafe practices in single-vehicle incidents compared with incidents involving another vehicle (P = 0.342). Ethanol was associated with 10 single motorcycle incidents (47.6%) compared with two (11.1%) involving another vehicle (P = 0.018). Unsafe practices were involved in 76% of at-scene deaths, compared with 28.6% in those surviving to hospital (P = 0.007).

A large proportion of head injury related motorcycle crash deaths are related to the unsafe behaviour of motorcyclists. A preventative campaign focusing on young male motorcycle riders and unsafe driving behaviour may reduce this death toll.