Association of Illegal Motorcyclist Behaviors and Injury Severity in Urban Motorcycle Crashes

Motorcycle crashes have been a significant cause of death and serious injury in urban regions, which has a negative effect on the development of sustainable urban transportation. In this study, two logit models, one model for illegal motorcyclist behaviors and the other for crash injury severity, are developed using urban motorcycle crashes in Hunan Province, China. The two developed models could allow us to simultaneously identify significant factors related to specific illegal behaviors and the severity level of crashes. The results show that illegal motorcyclist behaviors, including unlicensed riding, drunk riding, and improper overtaking/lane changes, are more likely to cause serious injuries or death. Young motorcyclists are associated with a higher likelihood of illegal behaviors, while old motorcyclists are associated with a higher likelihood of serious injuries or death. Night conditions without street lights are significantly associated with a higher probability of illegal motorcyclist behaviors as well as higher injury severity. Crashes caused by drunk riding have the highest likelihood of fatal/severe injury. Based on these findings, efficient interventions are recommended to curb illegal motorcyclist behaviors and alleviate crash injury severity.