The Safest Roads…
Apr 23rd, 2009 by Leo
Here’s a little quiz: Which types of roads are the safest for bikers (i.e., have the least number of accidents)? Put them in order:
- [a] Highways
- [b] Major roadways (like Queens Boulevard) and Parkways
- [c] Fast local roads with sparse traffic
- [d] Slow local roads
- [e] Parking lots
The new version (2.0) of the MAIDS Report (Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study) is out today. It’s a UK study, so the statistics would be different from the U.S., but the principles are pretty much the same. One of the findings that is true for any kind of motor vehicle accident is that speed by itself does not contribute to accidents, but it’s the difference in speed between vehicles that raises the liklihood of accidents… Which is partially why the Autobahn in Germany is a much safer place to drive than the Jackie Robinson Parkway. You can register and download a PDF of the MAIDS report here.
So which roads are the safest?
Parking lots: There are a few accidents that happen in parking lots, but it was 0.4% of the accidents in the study.
Highways: Next to parking lots, highways are the safest place to ride. The traffic is the most predictable, going in the same direction, and pretty much at the same speed. You have to watch out for the sudden slowdowns that can happen, but for the most part this is the safest (although often the most boring) place to ride.
Slow Local Roads: Next to Parking Lots and Highways, the slow local roads that don’t connect to major roadways are the safest. And yet, what they call “non-arterial roads” had three times more accidents than highways. Local roads have cars popping out of driveways, making u-turns, running intersections, etc…so be careful.
Major Roadways and Parkways: Queens Boulevard may be the “Boulevard of Death” for pedestrians (because the crosswalks are angled oddly in places), but it’s not particularly dangerous for two wheelers. The traffic can move quickly but there aren’t a whole lot of surprises that happen when all the vehicles are moving in the same direction. The MAIDS report found that roads like these are just slightly more dangerous than the street in front of your house.
Fast Local Roads: Defined as, “Streets or roads designed for intermediate volumes of traffic and/or
intermediate permissible speeds relative to all streets or roads in a given urban or rural area.” These were, by far, the riskiest for Motorcyclists with more than 51% of the accidents. These make up a good portion of the roads in Jersey and on the edges of the city. Think back to the last close call you’ve had, chances are it was someplace where cars could either go 20mph or 50mph. It’s often the sudden differences in speed and traffic conditions that make an accident likely. Or think 2nd and 3rd Ave on a Friday night, with cabs flying at full speed, crossing lanes, and stopping in the middle of the street to pick up a fare. This is often what causes accidents. So I think the lesson is: don’t be lulled into a false sense of safety by sparse traffic on local roads! Cheers!
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This is actually quite informative. Thanks Leo.