8
2 Review of Literature: Motorcycle helmet
Number of deaths (Motorcyclist)
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
80
70 67
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
62
65
55 57 56
43 45 43 39 41
48
46
38
64
56
39 37
48 47 45
Year
Fig. 2.1 Motorcyclists killed on Victorian roads from 1987 to 2007
of total accident deaths [5]. Figure 2.1 shows the statistics for motorcyclist deaths
from 1987 to 2007 [6].
Out of the 332 people killed in Victoria’s road accidents in 2007 [6], 45 of those
killed, as shown in Fig. 2.1, were motorcyclists. This represents 14% of the road toll,
and yet only 3% of vehicles registered in Victoria are motorcycles.
Table 2.1 [6] shows the number of riders killed and seriously injured in 2007.
It can be observed from the table that 3% of the riders killed and 6% of the riders
seriously injured were not wearing motorcycle helmets. In addition, the following
data show, of the riders killed or seriously injured and not wearing a helmet:
• 9% were aged 5–15 years, 11% were aged 16–17 years, 29% were aged 18–
20 years, 18% were aged 21–25 years, 4% were aged 26–29 years, 11% were
aged 30–39 years, 16% were aged 40–49 years, and 2% were aged 50–59 years;
• 64% were in metropolitan areas; and
• 96% were male.
The report also revealed that, in 2005, the number of motorcyclists seriously
injured was 891. In 2008, the number of motorcyclist deaths was 44, and in the last
five years, the average number of motorcyclist deaths per year was 43 [6]. The most
susceptible part of the human body to injury in case of an accident is the head and
Table 2.1 Number of
motorcyclists killed and
seriously injured in 2007
Helmet usage
Killed
Seriously injured
No helmet
2
43
Wearing helmet
35
722
Unknown
8
233
Total
45
998