A MOTORCYCLE AND SCOOTER ROAD SAFETY REPORT

ADJUSTING THE FOCUS (on high visibility motorcycle safety attire)

By Stephen Bardsley

July 2014

SYNOPSIS

Most choices in life may be neither right nor wrong, they just lead to very different outcomes and this can certainly said for decisions made in regard to high visibility motorcycle safety gear. The main consideration is to wear or not to wear and there are many good arguments put forward for both options. It has been said you can prove anything with statistics, but it’s perhaps worth considering how the author William W. Watt, said “Do not put your faith in what statistics say until you have carefully considered what they do not say”. The focus of this article is therefore to examine if proposals that high visibility (HiViz) safety gear should be compulsory for all motorcycle and scooter riders actually say all they could. It must be made clear from the beginning that this report does not suggested that rider conspicuity cannot be improved by the wearing of HiViz apparel, but rather any increase in conspicuity will depend greatly on the rider environment. It has been identified that under some circumstances rider conspicuity may actually be reduced by the wearing of HiViz apparel. This report examines why it is extremely important that the wearing of HiViz attire should remain discretionary and not compulsory, otherwise under certain circumstances the lives and wellbeing of riders will be endangered if they are forced to wear HiViz attire at all times. It is proposed that a far better alternative will therefore be to educate riders regarding which apparel is best suited to differing riding circumstances and when it may be safer to wear HiViz apparel.

Conclusions of the report include that driver and rider education are more important than any legislation to make HiViz attire compulsory for learner riders. It is also suggested that no matter how many arguments are put forward in support of HiViz attire for riders it must always be considered that HiViz is different to other rider safety gear, in that it can and will at some time reduce the conspicuity of a rider and so has the propensity to endanger them. The report finds that whereas HiViz attire may increase conspicuity under certain riding conditions HiViz does not always equate to Hi Safety and there is no place for legislation in support of compulsory HiViz, because on occasions HiViz has the propensity to reduce rider conspicuity.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 MOTORCYCLE CONSPICUITY DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS 1 1.1 HiViz apparel may act as camouflage 1 1.2 Contrast with the environment 2 1.3 Conspicuity varies under differing circumstances 3

2.0 LOCAL CONSPICUITY EXPERIMENTS 4 2.1 Design 4 2.2 Method 4

2.3 Results 4 2.4 Findings 5 2.5 One size does not fit all 6

3.0 THE RIDER IS FREQUENTLY SEEN – HiViz IS NOT THE ANSWER 7 3.1 SMIDSY - A poor excuse for a driver colliding with a rider 7 3.2 Victorian Drivers see Riders but fail to give way 8

4.0 EVIDENCE SHOWS HiViz IS NOT THE ANSWER 8 4.1 Victorian motorcycle safety Inquiry rejects compulsory HiViz 8 5.0 HiViz NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS OTHER RIDER SAFETY GEAR 9

5.1 There can be no argument for attire that may endanger riders 9 5.2 Rider attire must be fit for purpose 9

6.0 DRIVER EDUCATION REQUIRED 10 6.1 Drivers with a rider licence are safer 10

CONCLUSIONS 11

LIST OF REFERENCES 12

LIST OF FIGURES 12

1.0 MOTORCYCLE CONSPICUITY DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS It is often assumed that the failure of drivers to see motorcycle and scooter riders is due only to their poor visibility compared to other vehicles. The “answer” frequently proposed to rectify this problem is to make the wearing of High Visibility (HiViz) clothing compulsory for riders. Such proposals however fail to fully appreciate how the conspicuity of riders depends upon many factors and not just the attire worn by the rider. The attire certainly may either aid or hinder conspicuity and research has shown in this regard that so-called HIViz attire may in some circumstances actually hinder conspicuity and so endanger the safety of riders. Therefore proposals to make the wearing of HiViz gear compulsory for motorcycle and scooter riders appear to be based on misconception and without full appreciation of the facts relating to the conspicuity of motorcycle and scooter riders. This report has been prepared to encourage further debate prior to the introduction of any legislation which would see the wearing of so-called HiViz riding apparel made compulsory for learner riders in Victoria.

1.1 HiViz apparel may act as camouflage There is an abundance of evidence showing the conspicuity of riders is not always improved by so-called High Visibility (HiViz) vests and jackets and that in certain environments so-called HiViz clothing may actually decrease the visibility of a rider. Whereas it often proposed the conspicuity of motorcycle and scooter riders may be enhanced by HiViz rider apparel, such proposals are often based on static conspicuity and when the rider is not in an environment of traffic. In this regard proposals in support of HiViz apparel for riders frequently fail to consider the conspicuity of motorcycle and scooter riders out on the road and under actual riding conditions. It is well recorded that so-called HiViz attire can actually decrease the conspicuity of a motorcycle rider, there are many reasons for this, including how it can break up the rider's contour and effectively make the rider far less visible to other vehicles. A study conducted almost two decades ago by the University of Sussex School of cognitive and computing sciences, says when referring to “HiViz” attire that “such clothing may have the potential to act as disruptive camouflage in certain conditions”2. It is highly unlikely the proposers and supporters of compulsory HiViz rider apparel want to effectively camouflage riders and make them less conspicuous to other vehicles, therefore it is evident that further discussion and investigation is required prior to the acceptance of any proposals that HiViz apparel be made compulsory in Victoria for learner riders.

“Brightness contrast between the motorcyclist and the surroundings

may be more important as a determinant of conspicuity than the

motorcyclist's brightness per se. Motorcyclists' conspicuity is a

more complex issue than has hitherto been acknowledged” 1

School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences, University of Sussex, UK (1996)

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1.2 Contrast with the environment Research suggests the most important aspect of motorcycle conspicuity is not the wearing of HiViz apparel but how this may contrast with the environment. It has been identified that HiViz riding apparel is more suitable in urban areas where the background surrounding the PTW is more complex and multi-coloured, but in situations where the background is brighter, then darker coloured clothing is more effective in increasing rider conspicuity. This is supported by a study3 conducted by members of Israel’s Ben-Gurion University, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management. The study established that in urban environments reflective and white clothing provided an advantage to the detection of a PTW, whereas in the inter-urban environment a black outfit presented an advantage. The study concluded the conspicuity of a PTW is best increased not with HiViz apparel, but rather by clothing that distinguishes the rider from the prevailing background scenery and that attire “need not and should in many instances not be HiViz”. The study also found rider conspicuity is not only related to attire and that increasing the alertness and expectancy of drivers to the presence of Powered Two Wheelers (PTW’s) is effective in increasing PTW conspicuity. Further evidence suggests that the wearing of HiViz attire by riders is certainly not the most important factor relating to their conspicuity and that contrast with the environment is. The research identifies in regard to rider attire and conspicuity there is no “one type suits all” solution, saying:

“the most important aspect of motorcycle conspicuity is contrast with the

environment. Therefore, there is no clear indication of which

appearance is best for conspicuity in all conditions.3

It is not suggested that conspicuity cannot be improved when riders wear HiViz apparel, but rather any increase in conspicuity will depend greatly on the rider environment and that in some circumstances conspicuity may actually be reduced by the wearing of HiViz. This is why it is important the wearing of HiViz attire should remain discretionary and not be made compulsory; otherwise under certain circumstances the lives and wellbeing of riders will be endangered when they are forced to wear HiViz attire. For example a rider should have the discretion to wear HiViz and reflective gear after dusk when it is unlikely to decrease conspicuity. A far better and safer proposal than compulsory HiViz is surely to educate riders regarding which apparel is best suited to differing rider circumstances, in other words the when and where of wearing HiViz and other types of riding apparel. Retaining such discretion for riders is supported by the 2011 Dutch study of motorcycling accidents4 by Dr. de Craen, Dr. Doumen, N. Bos and Dr. van Norden, which states:

“There is evidence that physical appearance (bright and reflective clothing)

has a positive effect on crash risk. However, in different conditions (a bright

day in a rural environment), dark clothing and a dark motorcycle are better.

In other words, it is difficult to recommend one type/colour of clothing to

improve conspicuity in all conditions. Information to motorcyclists should

focus on considering the conditions in which they will use their motorcycle.”

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1.3 Conspicuity varies under differing circumstances

How conspicuity varies under in differing environments and changing circumstances is not a new concept. In natures environment changing levels of conspicuity increase the chances of survival. A creature’s distinct appearance may act as natural camouflage allowing it to blend in with their environment and hide from predators. Yet in a different environment the same distinct appearance may render the animal highly conspicuous, advantageous in circumstances such as when fending off predators. Sometimes and unintentionally the same effect can occur for riders, the outfit they are wearing may under some conditions allow them to be seen clearly by other road users, yet under different circumstances the same outfit may mean the rider has lower conspicuity.

Figure 1 – Same ‘outfit’ different levels of conspicuity

Figure 2 - Same rider different levels of conspicuity

In some circumstances so-called HiViz attire offers little if any advantage and can actually break up the contour of a rider against other traffic and so provide no improvement to and may even reduce rider conspicuity, no matter how slight, this should never be made compulsory. Brighter is not always better, black is not always bad and so riders should be educated to choose the attire that best suits the prevailing rider environment.

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2.0 LOCAL CONSPICUITY EXPERIMENTS

2.1 Design In June 2014 the Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA) conducted two conspicuity experiments over four (4) days and two (2) consecutive weekends. The experiments involved placing a scooter and rider in front of a light coloured vehicle strategically parked adjacent to the entry of a car park, this so that every vehicle entering would have a clear view of and would have to drive pass the scooter and rider. The location was a hardware store in Keysborough, Victoria. Drivers who had entered the car park were interviewed and asked if they had seen the scooter and rider when entering the car park. 2.2 Method In experiment 1 the rider wore HiViz attire including a HiViz Vest and a white full face helmet. Forty drivers were interviewed, twenty on a Saturday morning between 9.30am and 11.30am, a further twenty drivers on Sunday morning between the same times. In experiment 2 the process was repeated the following weekend with the rider not wearing HiViz attire and a black full face helmet. Both experiments were conducted at the same time of day, in the same place, in similar conditions and during similar levels of traffic activity. Over the duration of the experiments Eighty (80) Drivers that had entered the car park were asked to respond to if they had seen the scooter and rider when entering the car park. A positive response signifies the driver did see the scooter and rider, a negative response that they did not. The scooter, attire, rider and other vehicle as used in the experiments can be seen at Figure 2.

2.3 Results

EXPERIMENT 1

(WITH HiViz ATTIRE) CONSPICUITY RESPONSE TO SCOOTER & RIDER

DRIVER TOTAL

POSITIVE RESPONSE

NEGATIVE RESPONSE

DAY 1 (SATURDAY)

20

7

13

DAY 2 (SUNDAY)

20

6

14

EXPERIMENT 2

(WITHOUT HiViz ATTIRE) CONSPICUITY RESPONSE TO SCOOTER & RIDER

DRIVER TOTAL

POSITIVE RESPONSE

NEGATIVE RESPONSE

DAY 1 (SATURDAY)

20

12

8

DAY 2 (SUNDAY)

20

12

8

Figure 3 – Driver response to both HiViz and none HiViz scenarios

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2.3 Results (continued)

OVERALL RESULTS

CONSPICUITY RESPONSE TO SCOOTER & RIDER

DRIVER TOTAL

POSITIVE RESPONSE

NEGATIVE RESPONSE

WITH HiViz

40

13

27

WITHOUT HiViz

40

24

16

Figure 4 – Total responses with and without HiViz

It can be seen that the experiments revealed several important findings as follows:

● The wearing of HiViz attire does not always improve rider conspicuity ● HiViz attire can decrease rider conspicuity ● Not wearing HiViz can increase rider conspicuity

● Not wearing HiViz increased conspicuity by 27% ● It is possible to increase or decrease rider conspicuity with a choice of attire 2.4 Findings It is accepted that the both experiments were conducted using a vehicle of light colour and that if the colour of the vehicle had been darker it is likely the results of both experiments may have been very different. However; the main findings were that the wearing of HiViz attire by riders does not always increase conspicuity and under certain circumstances will significantly reduce rider conspicuity. Therefore if the wearing of HiViz attire is made compulsory it will under certain circumstances make riders far less visible to other road users and so may significantly increase the likelihood of the rider being involved in an accident with another vehicle.

There can be no good reason to introduce legislation that will under any circumstance endanger riders by rendering them increasingly vulnerable on Victorian roads. To introduce such legislation may only serve to significantly increase the risk faced by riders. A far better option would be to allow riders to select the appropriate attire depending upon riding circumstances and to help educate them to do this, which is of particular importance for learner and inexperienced riders.

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2.5 One size does not fit all There is an abundance of evidence supporting the findings of the local conspicuity experiments in this report which found not wearing HiViz clothing can actually increase rider conspicuity by 27% under certain riding conditions. In their report “Attention and search conspicuity of motorcycles as a function of their visual context”, Gershon, Ben-Asher and Shinar conducted experiments to ascertain the conspicuity of riders in different circumstances. The report concluded that the rider attire need not be HiViz, but any colour that contrasts with the rider and PTW:

The conspicuity of a PTW can be increased by using an

appropriate rider's outfit that distinguishes him/her

from the background scenery 5

The report by Gershon, Ben-Asher and ShinarIn addition also concluded that increasing the alertness and expectancy of drivers to the presence of PTWs can increase their search conspicuity. The findings of this report illustrate that rather than compelling learner riders to wear HiViz attire, roads can be made safer for them by allowing them to choose the type of attire best suited to the environment in which they intend to ride. Therefore it is evident much more can and need be done to improve the conspicuity of riders than merely forcing them to wear the same riding gear under all riding conditions and circumstances. It may be said that in regard to motorcycle riding apparel what suits one set of circumstances does not always suit another, as the old saying goes one size does not fit all and in this regard it may do well to consider the old Scottish proverb:

Every shoe fits not every foot. Every condition of life, every behaviour,

every speech and gesture becomes not every body; that will be decent

in one, which will be ridiculous in another. J. Kelly (1712) The reality is that as identified earlier in this report, Motorcyclists' conspicuity is a more complex issue than has hitherto been acknowledged and the one size fits all approach of legislating to make HiViz attire compulsory for motorcycle and scooter riders may endanger riders just as much as it may improve their safety.

Whereas it is evident a one size fits all approach for motorcycle riding attire just does not work, perhaps more importantly the report by Gershon, Ben-Asher and Shinar of 2011 also identifies that the conspicuity of riders does not depend solely upon the rider, but also the attitude drivers have towards riders of PTW’s. Therefore the approach of placing the responsibility for rider conspicuity solely on the rider by forcing them to wear HiViz at all times, is not only wrong, but it will not adequately address the problem, as the attitude drivers have towards riders is a key component in increasing rider conspicuity as much as is anything else.

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3.0 THE RIDER IS FREQUENTLY SEEN - HiViz IS NOT THE ANSWER

Making the wearing of HiViz attire compulsory for any riders is not the answer, because evidence shows even when the drivers sees a motorcycle or scooter there is still frequently a collision. All that making HiViz compulsory will achieve is to place the onus for road safety on motorcycle and scooter riders and help legitimise the SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You) excuse as all too frequently used by drivers.

3.1 SMIDSY a poor excuse for a driver colliding with a rider Duncan Mackillop is a motorcycle rider trainer and principal of the Total Control rider training school in the UK, he is also a former aviation pilot. As a victim of a “sorry mate I didn’t see you” (SMIDSY) accident, he has performed research over the last decade6 to understand the reasons for SMIDSY type accidents in order to develop accident avoidance and evasion techniques for motorcycle riders. His research identifies the most common reasons why car drivers do not see motorcycles approaching at a junction are:

Figure 5 – Most common reasons car drivers do not see motorcycles Camouflage failure tops the list of reasons why car drivers do not see motorcycles and scooters and it has already been discussed in section 1 of this report how the wearing of HiViz can under certain circumstances break up the rider's contour and effectively make the rider far less visible to other vehicles, in otherwise create “camouflage failure”. If the wearing of HiViz apparel by motorcycle and scooter riders can sometimes decrease the conspicuity of riders, it is difficult to comprehend how making it compulsory can possibly reduce accidents involving a motorcycle or scooter and another vehicle. It can also be seen from Figure 5 that most of the reasons identified for a driver colliding with a motorcycle could be avoided if the Driver paid more attention and/or consideration for motorcycles, not by forcing riders to wear HiViz, which is in reality attacking the problem from the wrong end, it is placing the onus for road safety on the victims rather than the perpetrators of accidents. The VSRA believes it is not acceptable that a great many accidents are caused by drivers who were negligent, did not look, identified a motorcycle but did not see the threat as important, underestimated the speed of the motorcycle or had a low expectation of colliding with a motorcycle. It is therefore not appropriate to place the onus for road safety on motorcycle and scooter riders by compelling them to wear HiViz vests, when rider conspicuity is not the main cause of accidents, because driver behaviour is.

● Camouflage Failure to pop-out from background ● Looming Below threshold of detection ● Threat Seen but not identified as important ● Expectation Rarity of encounter ● Underestimate Speed less than actual ● Negligence, Driver did not look ● Hidden obstruction by foreground object ● Physiology Bad eyesight and restricted movement ● Memory recall Pop-out not retained ● Chemical Impairment – drink or drugs

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3.2 Victorian Drivers see Riders but fail to give way Victoria’s Road Safety and Transport Strategic Action PTW’s 2009-2013 acknowledges Drivers are frequently to blame in accidents where a motorcycle or scooter and another vehicle is involved, saying:

“In a significant number of these crashes the driver of the other

vehicle is at fault; many involve the driver of a vehicle failing

to give way at an intersection and turning across the path

of a PTW travelling straight ahead”.7

It therefore can be seen even if HiViz rider attire is worn, accidents will still occur, because although the motorcycle or scooter is actually seen, the driver still commits a right of way violation against it. The VicRoads Website acknowledges that prior to a collision the driver frequently sees the motorcycle but still fails to give way, saying:

“VicRoads is not just focusing on riders. It is known that around 50% of motorcyclist

casualty crashes involve another vehicle, and in those crashes, the driver is often at fault.

In some cases the driver saw the motorcyclist but may not have recognised the rider as a

hazard and failed to give way”. 8

It can be seen that frequently prior to a collision the motorcycle or scooter is actually seen by the driver, but the driver chooses not to give way, failing to recognise the rider as a hazard, therefore the wearing of HiViz attire will make no difference to the circumstances responsible for the accident as conspicuity is not the issue of concern.

4.0 EVIDENCE SHOWS HiViz IS NOT THE ANSWER

What is of great concern to the VSRA and should be of concern to all road users is that the Victorian State Government Road Safety Committee extensively studied the issue of HiViz attire for motorcycle and scooter riders and found there was not enough evidence to support mandatory high-visibility clothing. Therefore legislating to make HiViz apparel compulsory is likely to exacerbate the problem of rider conspicuity.

4.1 Victorian motorcycle safety Inquiry rejects compulsory HiViz The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into motorcycle safety9 used some of the latest road safety research from Europe, which has found the benefits of wearing a HiViz vest depended entirely on the time of day and the location. The research identifies that a rider in the city would be more visible in reflective clothing, whereas a rider in a rural setting is more visible during the day wearing dark clothing. Victorian road safety authorities and government insist on making the wearing of reflective HiViz attire compulsory without having any concern that doing so in certain circumstances will reduce rider conspicuity. In this regard the Victorian road safety committee has advised is unable to support any proposal to mandate the use of hi-visibility clothing for motorcyclists, quite simply because as their report says:

“there is no single approach in terms of increasing the visibility

of clothing that would work in all riding circumstances”10.

The Victorian road safety committee found the real issue is there should be greater awareness on the road of vulnerable road users. "Yet in spite of the compelling evidence which does not support HiViz, Victorian road safety authorities and the State Government still insist on making HiViz compulsory for Victorian learner riders.

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5.0 HiViz NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS OTHER RIDER SAFETY GEAR

A problem with HiViz attire is that unlike other rider safety gear it can under certain circumstances have the propensity to endanger a rider. For example; it would be pointless to argue that wearing a crash helmet would ever endanger a rider, yet it is proven that HiViz attire can. Rider armour and boots also provide safety benefits without ever increasing the risk to riders, the same cannot be said of so-called HiViz attire.

5.1 There can be no argument for attire that may endanger riders The fact is that no matter how many arguments are put forward in support of HiViz attire for riders, HiViz is different to other rider safety gear, in that it can and will at some time reduce the conspicuity of a rider and so has the propensity to endanger them. HiViz does not always equate to Hi Safety and so there is no place for any legislation, including that in support of compulsory HiViz, which will at some time create circumstances that will endanger the lives and wellbeing of motorcycle and scooter riders. Unlike other rider safety attire HiViz does not provide an overall safety benefit to riders, it may be helpful, but only under certain circumstances and can at times actually reduce the conspicuity of riders and so hinder rather than benefit rider safety. This report is not against HiViz but proposes for good reason that the choice to wear, or not to wear HiViz should not be removed by legislation. Riders should be free to wear

HiViz when it offers advantages and free not to wear it when it doesn’t, or even worse when it may reduce conspicuity. This is why the education of both riders and drivers is of the utmost importance in regard to road safety and conspicuity. Riders should be taught when, where and how HiViz can both increase and decrease conspicuity. Drivers should be taught to be more aware and considerate of riders. Road safety must be seen as a shared responsibility and legislation to make HiViz compulsory places the onus for safety solely on motorcycle and scooter riders.

Figure 6 – High quality, HiViz and reflective riding jacket

5.2 Rider attire must be fit for purpose Also important is the type of HiViz attire worn by riders, under no circumstances should they ever be compelled by legislation or encouraged in any way to cover a purpose designed hi quality, HiViz and reflective motorcycle jacket with a vest designed, certified and approved for a work place. The jacket shown at Figure 6 is not only HiViz, but also reflective and therefore highly suited for use after dusk or in poorly illuminated areas, to have to cover it with a lesser effective vest designed for other purposes and conditions would not only be pointless, but also irresponsible.

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6.0 DRIVER EDUCATION It has been identified even when HiViz rider attire is worn, accidents will still result, not only because HiViz may under certain conditions reduce rider conspicuity, but also because although the motorcycle or scooter is actually seen by the driver, the driver will still frequently commit a right of way violation against the rider. Yet such violations are less likely occur if a driver holds a motorcycle licence. This is because drivers with a rider licence are more aware and better educated in regard to riders and both consciously and unconsciously keep a look out for them. Therefore rider conspicuity is greatly improved for educated drivers. Educating drivers could prove far more effective in increasing the conspicuity of riders and has the added bonus that unlike HiViz attire it will never endanger riders.

6.1 Drivers with a rider licence are safer The roads will become safer for riders when drivers are more aware of and better educated regarding interaction with motorcycles and scooters. Driver education can reduce the incidence of car collisions with motorcycles and will help ensure such accidents do not occur even when the driver has seen the rider. Driver education will reduce the vulnerability of riders more effectively than can HiViz attire.

Figure 7 – Drivers with a motorcycle licence are safer

Such education can certainly be effective as it is proven that drivers with motorcycle rider training and experience are far less likely to commit a right of way violation against a rider. Figure 7 from MAIDS11 shows drivers who also have a motorcycle licence are more aware of riders, riders are more conspicuous to them and so they are much less likely to commit a perception failure against a rider than those than drivers who only have a car licence. It can be seen driver education will be a more effective and safer method of increasing rider conspicuity than will legislation that makes the wearing of HiViz attire compulsory for riders, this no matter what the level of experience of the rider.

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CONCLUSIONS

This report does not oppose the use of HiViz attire for motorcycle and scooter riders, but proposes for good reason that the choice to wear, or not to wear HiViz should not be removed by legislation. Brighter is not always better and so riders should be educated so they can choose the attire that best suits the prevailing rider environment, rather than be forced to wear attire that does not improve and may even reduce conspicuity. For the sake of road safety riders should be free to wear HiViz when it offers advantages and always have the option to choose not to wear it when it may not. Riders should never be forced to wear HiViz attire when it may reduce rider conspicuity. Proposals to increase the conspicuity of motorcycle and scooter riders include the introduction of legislation that will make the wearing of High Visibility (HiViz) clothing compulsory for learner riders. Such proposals fail to fully appreciate how the conspicuity of riders depends upon many factors and not just the attire worn by the rider. Such legislation will under certain circumstances mean that the conspicuity of riders is actually reduced and so will endanger the lives and wellbeing of riders. The education of both riders and drivers, rather than legislation to make the wearing of HiViz attire compulsory is of the utmost importance in regard to road safety and rider conspicuity. Riders should be taught when, where and how HiViz can both increase and decrease conspicuity. Drivers should be educated and taught to be far more aware and considerate of riders. Road safety is a shared responsibility and legislation to make HiViz compulsory should not be used to place the onus for road safety solely on motorcycle and scooter riders. Safety benefits provided by HiViz clothing cannot be compared with that of other rider apparel such as crash helmets and body armour. These will rarely if ever increase the danger to riders, whereas HiViz attire can and will frequently do so by reducing conspicuity of the rider. Riders should therefore be free to make an educated decision regarding when and where it may be advantageous to wear HiViz attire. In the case of rider conspicuity brighter attire is not always better, black attire is not always bad and so education is a safer and better road safety option than is legislation.

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LIST OF REFERENCES

1, 2 Eur-Graham, J. Hole, L.S. Langham, M. (1996) Some factors affecting motorcyclists' conspicuity. School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK

3Greshon, P. Ben-Asher, N. Shinar, D. (2011) Attention and search conspicuity of motorcycles as a function of their visual context

4, 5de Craen, Dr, S. Doumen, M, Dr. Bos, N. van Norden, Y, Dr. (2011) The roles of motorcyclists and car drivers in conspicuity-related motorcycle crashes

6Duncan McKillop, Total Control Rider Training, 1 Hands Paddock, Newbold on Stour,

Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, UK, 2010.

7 Victoria’s Road Safety and Transport Strategic Action Plan for PTW’s 2009-2013, The Victorian State Government, 2009, p26.

8 VicRoads Website, Current initiatives for motorcyclists, improving education & training resources. http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/SafetyAndRules/SaferRiders/Motorcyclists/CurrentInitiativesForMotorcyclists.htm

9, 10 Victorian Road Safety Committee, Inquiry into motorcycle safety, Melb., Oct 2011 http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/rsc/motorcycle_safety/Transcripts/20111018_PVarnsverry_Transcript.pdf

11The European Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (ACEM) Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée 1 – 1040 Brussels. MAIDS In depth investigations of accidents involving powered two-wheelers, Final Report 1.3, 2004.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 - Same ‘outfit’ different levels of conspicuity Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA) 2014.

Figure 2 - Same rider different levels of conspicuity Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA) 2014.

Figure 3 – Driver response to both HiViz and none HiViz scenarios Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA) 2014.

Figure 4 – Total responses with and without HiViz Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA) 2014.

Figure 5 – Most common reasons car drivers do not see motorcycles Total Control Rider Training, 1 Hands Paddock, Newbold on Stour, Stratford upon Avon,

Warwickshire, UK, 2010.

Figure 6 – High quality, HiViz and reflective riding jacket Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA) 2014.

Figure 7 – Drivers with a motorcycle licence are safer The European Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (ACEM) Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée 1 – 1040 Brussels. MAIDS In depth investigations of accidents involving powered two-wheelers, Final Report 1.3, 2004

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