Читать книгу Proficient Motorcycling - David L. Hough - Страница 16

In the meantime, let’s consider the experience and licensing status of riders involved in crashes. In the following chart from the Hurt Report, 1.0 indicates the average of those studied. Numbers higher than 1.0 indicate a greater than average crash involvement.

Motorcycle License Status	Involvement
Motorcycle	0.7
None (or revoked)	2.4
Auto only	2.0
Commercial/chauffeur	0.5
Learner’s permit	1.2

These statistics hint that riders with no license, a revoked license, or only an auto license were about twice as likely to be involved in a motorcycle crash as those with a permit and three times as likely as was a properly licensed motorcyclist. The NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts for 2004 reports that 24 percent of operators involved in fatal crashes nationwide did not have a valid license. Now, it should be obvious that just getting a piece of cardboard doesn’t change a rider’s skill. My suspicion is that it’s a matter of attitude. The rider who doesn’t get properly licensed is exhibiting an attitude that motorcycling isn’t a seriously risky activity. I can see how that attitude would carry over to aggressive riding and ignoring traffic laws. It should be no surprise that 27.4 percent of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes in 2004 had prior speeding convictions, and 15.2 percent had recorded license suspensions or revocations.

Licensing compliance was actually worse during the 1990s than in the 1970s. NCSA reported that 46 percent of riders in fatal crashes in 1990 were improperly licensed—that is, they were not licensed or their licenses were suspended, revoked, expired, or cancelled. By 1999, license compliance of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had climbed back up to 68 percent; better than in 1999, but worse than in the 1970s. Let’s hope that getting a higher percentage of riders properly licensed will have an effect on reducing the fatality rate.