Reducing the Global Burden of Disease

Motorcycle protective clothing : Usage & benefits 2 Liz de Rome, Rebecca Ivers, Narelle Haworth, Michael Fitzharris, Stephane Heritier & Drew Richardson With assistance from Judy Perry & Tom Brandon

Summary of presentation Background Research program Progress to date ►The Gear Study ►The Novice Rider Survey 3

Background Riders casualties are increasing ►High proportion relatively minor injuries - 39% AIS 1(MAIDS, 2004) ►Some injuries may be reduced or prevented by protective clothing 4

What is Motorcycle Protective Clothing? 5 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ►Helmet ►Gloves ►Boots ►Jackets ►Pants ►Impact protectors

What do we need to know? 1. Does motorcycle PPE really work? ►Previous research was on old style clothing ►New generation PPE not evaluated ►No crash studies of impact protectors 2. How can we best encourage riders to use it? ►What do riders believe about the value of PPE? ►What determines the types of PPE a rider wears? ►Where do they obtain their information 6

Research program 1.The Gear Study A 12 months study of motorcyclists who crashed in the ACT, their use of PPE and injury outcomes. Funded by Swann Insurance Australia Pty Ltd. 2.The Novice Rider survey Cross sectional survey of novice riders in NSW and their usage of PPE. Funded by NRMA Motoring & Services Ltd 7

Study 1- The Gear Study Aim: To examine the associations between use of PPE and risk of injury and chronic disability as a result of a crash. Method: ►12 months study from June 2008 ►All riders who crashed on public roads in the ACT ►Recruited through hospitals & motorcycle crash repair services. ►In-depth interview + follow up survey at 6 weeks & 6 months ►Exposure – what they were wearing ►Outcome – injury severity and disability 8

Riders identified from motorcycle crashes 9

The Sample (n=212) Male87% Age33.6 years Range 17 – 64 years Licence status Full MC licence 60% Provisional 12% Learner 25% No MC licence 3% Type of crash Single vehicle crash42% Multi- vehicle49% Animal on road9% 10

Proportion of riders wearing PPE 11

Distribution of injury severity on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 12

Preliminary analysis Proportion with injuries & usage of PPE 13

Further analysis Associations between use of PPE and injury severity controlling for: ►Speed & type of impact ►Type of clothing & presence of Impact protectors ►Clothing failure ►Type of injury – e.g. soft tissue vs fractures Follow up study (6 weeks & 6 months): ►Longitudinal association between PPE and chronic injury/disability ►Psychological and social impact of crash experience. 14

Study 2 – The Novice Rider Survey Aim: to identify factors associated with usage and non- usage of PPE Methods: ►Riders surveyed at compulsory Pre-provisional training courses in NSW. ►Paper survey ► 65 questions – 20 minutes 15

The sample - Novice Rider Survey Pre-provisional Licence training courses ►10 centres ►Hunter, Greater Sydney & Illawarra Regions of NSW ►March – July 2008 Response rate = 85% of eligible riders ►n=1,006 ►New riders - 81% 16

Demographics of New Riders only Male 81% Age 32.7 years Range 16 – 69 years Full time work 81% Unrestricted driver licence 81% Urban area 87% Relationship 50% Dependent children 66% Sports bikes 27%, scooter 23% 17

Riders’ usage of protective clothing 18

Usage of Impact Protectors (IP) 19

Further analysis To identify the predictors of protective clothing usage by novice riders: ►Who are they? Why do they ride? ►What are their beliefs and attitudes to protective clothing ►What are their sources of information? 20

Conclusion – the way ahead Promote awareness about the: ►Potential benefits of protective clothing ►Features of effective protective clothing Promote informed discussion about ►Programs to encourage usage 21

Funders The NRMA ACT Road Safety Trust Swann Insurance (Australia) & NRMA Motoring & Services (NSW) Supervisors The George Institute for International Health, CARRS-Q & MUARC Co-researchers and assistants The Canberra Hospital & Calvary Hospital Ride It Right, Stay Upright & HART Rider Trainers The Motorcycle Community Canberra Motorcycle Centre, Robbo’s, Motorini, Mick Owen’s and all the other motorcycle crash repair services & the Riders, whose support made these studies possible. 22 Acknowledgements