Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
14:55
Evaluating the Effect of Roadside Parking on a Dual-Direction Urban Street
Published on: January 20, 2023
The protective effect of roadside barriers for motorcyclists
M R Bambach1, R J Mitchell, R H Grzebieta
1Transport and Road Safety-TARS Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. m.bambach@unsw.edu.au
Traffic Injury Prevention
|August 16, 2013
Summary
Roadside barriers significantly reduce motorcyclist injury risk compared to fixed objects like trees and utility poles. Current roadside design guides for passenger vehicles are generally applicable to motorcyclists, with a suggested 25% increase in severity index for barriers.
Area of Science:
- Road safety engineering
- Traffic injury prevention
- Motorcycle safety
Background:
- Roadside barriers are crucial for protecting road users from fixed hazards.
- Current roadside design guides do not specifically address motorcyclist safety in barrier deployment decisions.
- Existing severity indices for barriers and hazards were developed based on passenger vehicle occupant data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the protective effect of roadside barriers for motorcyclists.
- To inform United States and Australian Roadside Design Guides regarding the relative severity of roadside hazards and infrastructure for motorcyclists.
- To provide data for improving motorcyclist safety in roadside design.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective case series study analyzed linked police-reported road crash and hospital admission data in New South Wales, Australia (2001-2009).
- Crude and adjusted relative risks of serious motorcyclist injury were calculated for fixed objects versus barriers using logistic regression.
- Relative risks for motorcyclists were compared with those for passenger vehicle occupants from existing design guides.
Main Results:
- 1364 motorcyclists were injured in single-vehicle collisions with roadside infrastructure.
- Trees, posts, and utility poles posed significantly higher risks of serious injury to motorcyclists than barriers.
- Barriers showed a significant reduction in serious injury risk for motorcyclists compared to various roadside hazards.
Conclusions:
- Roadside barriers offer substantial protection against serious injury for motorcyclists compared to fixed roadside objects.
- Existing roadside design guide provisions for passenger vehicles are largely applicable to motorcyclists.
- A 25% increase in the severity index for barriers may provide a more accurate risk estimation for motorcyclists.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Sight Distance in a Vertical Curve
Sight distance on vertical curves is critical in roadway design. It ensures drivers can see far enough ahead to identify and respond to hazards effectively. This directly impacts safety, driver comfort, and the overall efficiency of the transportation network.Vertical curves are classified into crest and sag curves based on their geometry. For crest curves, sight distance is determined by the line of sight between a driver's eye and a small object on the road's surface. Design parameters for...
01:18Surface Membrane Barriers
The skin and mucous membranes serve as the primary line of defense against pathogens by providing both physical and chemical protection. These barriers are essential in preventing the entry and establishment of microbes, thereby maintaining the integrity of the host.
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
01:24Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease: Sucralfate as Mucosal Protective Agents
In the intricate landscape of the gastric lumen, excessive acid secretion disrupts the natural defense mechanisms, weakening the mucus-bicarbonate barrier. This vulnerability allows pepsin to infiltrate epithelial cells, digesting mucosal proteins and triggering erosion, leading to ulcer formation.
In this scenario, mucosal protective agents like sucralfate play an essential role. Sucralfate, a complex of sulfated sucrose and aluminum hydroxide, demonstrates its usefulness in acidic conditions,...
In this scenario, mucosal protective agents like sucralfate play an essential role. Sucralfate, a complex of sulfated sucrose and aluminum hydroxide, demonstrates its usefulness in acidic conditions,...
01:25Mucosal Barrier of the Stomach
The gastric glands contain parietal cells that secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl) for digestion. The cells secrete HCl because it is highly corrosive and essential for breaking down food. To achieve this, they secrete hydrogen and chloride ions into the lumen of the gastric glands, which combine to form HCl.
Within parietal cells, carbonic acid is first formed through the reaction of water and carbon dioxide. The dissociation of carbonic acid releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The bicarbonate...
Within parietal cells, carbonic acid is first formed through the reaction of water and carbon dioxide. The dissociation of carbonic acid releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The bicarbonate...
01:25Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers are semi-permeable cellular structures restricting drug diffusion into intracellular compartments and tissues. There are six types of physiological barriers: blood endothelial, cell membrane, blood-brain, blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood-placenta, and blood-testis barriers.
The blood endothelial barrier is the most porous of these. It allows all small ionized, un-ionized, and lipophilic molecules to pass through the endothelial lining into the interstitial space...
The blood endothelial barrier is the most porous of these. It allows all small ionized, un-ionized, and lipophilic molecules to pass through the endothelial lining into the interstitial space...
01:24Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Mucosal Defense Factors
Peptic ulcer disease, commonly called PUD, represents a multifaceted condition characterized by disruptions in the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Central to the protection of the gastrointestinal lining is the mucosal-bicarbonate barrier. This physiological defense mechanism is a formidable shield against the corrosive effects of gastric acid and pepsin secretion in the stomach. Its role is pivotal in maintaining the structural integrity of the stomach's inner lining. Bicarbonate,...