Motosharing users have 10 times more accidents than private individuals

by time news

Urban mobility increasingly relies on shared vehicle services, such as scooters, bicycles and motorcycles. However, this solution for getting around large cities, in particular, registers a very high accident rate, as far as shared motorcycles are concerned. It is close to 8%, which is 26 times more than the average for other vehicles and 10 times more than motorcycles for private use.

In 2019, this type of vehicle, a total of 9,882 analyzed and spread over 11 cities in Spain, was involved in a total of 804 accidents, which is equivalent to saying that approximately one in every 12 vehicles was involved in an accident. this type. A very high percentage, 88.8% (about 700 drivers) suffered minor injuries, which only required medical attention at the scene because almost all incidents occurred at low speeds. That year there was one fatality, according to official data.

Of the total claims, almost half occurred as a result of falls (47%), followed by front-to-side collisions (18%) and scopes (10%). 60% of the claims occurred during the day, especially between 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (31.7). Thursdays (15%) and Fridays (18%) are the days with the highest number of accidents. About half of the injured were between 25 and 34 years old (48.6%); most were men (82%); 8 people were not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident (1%); and 1% did not have the necessary license to drive the vehicle (B+3, moped license or motorcycle permit) or did not have a license directly (7 people).

Valencia (15.5%), Seville and Madrid (9.5% in both cases) are the cities with the highest rate of motorcycle sharing accidents, and among those with the lowest rate are Murcia (1.3%), Malaga (1.8%) and Granada (3%), according to the data available in a total of 11 Spanish cities. In absolute figures, the highest number of claims in 2019 was recorded by Madrid, with 466.

These are some of the conclusions of the report ‘The Contribution of Motosharing to Road Safety’, which has been released by Fundación MAPFRE, thanks to the collaboration of the DGT, which has provided accident figures for this type of vehicle and user, and to CESVIMAP , which has collaborated in carrying out extreme braking tests with this type of vehicle.

The research analyzes about 40 motorcycles and the characteristics of the rental system used by a total of 13 sharing companies that currently operate or have operated in Spain, such as Acciona, GoTo, Cooltra or Cabify, some of which currently have the most presence.

Among the most significant weak points that have been found, the dirt on the rear-view mirrors and the difficulty in adjusting them, adjustment and condition of the brake levers, lights that do not work, scratched helmet screens or with deteriorated fasteners and the lack of availability stand out. when it comes to finding the exact size of the helmet that the driver needs. These data point to the urgent need to reinforce the maintenance of this type of vehicle, especially in relation to safety elements such as lights, controls, brakes and accelerator, among others.

The study also proposes measures to increase the safety of motorcycles and mopeds, such as, for example, universalizing the anti-lock braking system (ABS) in all sharing vehicles, and promoting the use of full-face helmets, the safest. It also includes a decalogue with various proposals, among which it is worth noting that these companies ‘mentorize’ the behavior of their drivers and make it easier for the apps used in the rental to notify of prohibitions and promote payment for safe use, that is, that they do not measure only the time spent, but also compliance with regulations, in particular speed regulations, and the absence of sudden braking, for example. It also proposes that the use of additional protective equipment during journeys be encouraged, starting with gloves and closed shoes, and continuing with the airbag for motorcyclists, especially in the case of regular users.

The report highlights good practices of this type of company, among which are: free introductory classes for people who have never used this type of vehicle before or who do not have recent experience; speed limitation systems in urban areas to avoid fines (30 and 50 km/h minimum) and penalize customers when sanctioned. Also noteworthy is the possibility that some of them offer for their users to upload a photo at the beginning of the journey to report damage and after the end of the trip, so that there is evidence that the motorcycle has been parked correctly.

It is extremely important that the helmet is correctly fastened at all times, since a large part of the accidents are caused by falls, front-side impacts and rear-end collisions. In this sense, it is also key that the size of the helmet is the right one, since, otherwise, if there were a sudden stop or an accident, the helmet could move or be thrown off the head, which would mean the loss of its protective function, as shown by the extreme braking tests carried out.

The research also highlights the importance of sharing companies reviewing and replacing helmets when a defect is observed, and that they include a clearly visible text, such as, for example, on the handlebars next to the speedometer, with messages from the type, “Please fasten your helmet.” Also, and whenever possible, that the helmet has some warning system (sound or light) to remind the motorcyclist that he must wear it correctly fastened.

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