Antilock Brakes on Motorcycles Can Save Lives

Motorcycle sales more than tripled between 1997 and 2005. At the same time, deaths of motorcyclists have more than doubled since 1997. In response to this epidemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed an amendment to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 122, Motorcycle Brake Systems, that would strengthen the requirements and test procedures associated with motorcycle brake systems, including manufacturers voluntarily installing antilock brake systems (ABS).

Antilock brakes on motorcycles are generally offered as optional equipment and are fairly recent additions. For that reason, many motorcycles on the roads today are not equipped with antilock braking systems, even though studies have found that these brakes can save lives.

Researchers have found that the rate of fatal motorcycle accidents and the frequency of crashes for which insurance claims are filed, go down when motorcycles are equipped with antilock brakes. For example, one study showed that from 2005-2006 there were 4.1 fatal crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years among motorcycles that had ABS. Motorcycles that did not have ABS had a fatality rate that was 38 percent higher. Researchers have also found that motorcycles with antilock brakes have 21 percent lower insurance losses.

In the 1970s, passenger cars began to be equipped with ABS after studies showed that they would help reduce stopping distances. Motorcycles can stand to benefit even more from ABS than passenger cars due to the fact that motorcycles tend to be less stable. “It’s this instability that contributes to so many crashes. By reducing wheel lockup during braking, antilocks keep a lot of motorcycles from overturning,” said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and its affiliated Highway Loss Data Institute.

Antilock brakes reduce the risk of motorcycle accidents. Stopping a motorcycle is more difficult than trying to stop a passenger car. Front and rear wheels of motorcycles usually have separate brake controls. It has been found that under-braking and over-braking the front and rear wheels can cause motorcycle crashes. Braking hard on a motorcycle without ABS can cause the wheels to lock. Antilock brakes help reduce brake pressure when an impending lockup is detected. With ABS, brake pressure is evaluated multiple times per second, which allows motorcyclists to brake without fear of locking the wheels.

While antilock brakes will not prevent every motorcycle crash, ABS can at least increase the likelihood of surviving a near-collision. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in New York, contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer at Rappaport, Glass, Greene & Levine at (800) 734-9445 for a free legal consultation. We can help you receive compensation for your motorcycle accident injuries.