Motorcycle Case-Control Study (‘MICIMS’ - ARC-Linkage Project)
Study Update for Rider Community – December 2014
Background
•
This research project is aimed at better understanding the factors that contribute to motorcycle
crashes. The study will provide evidence-based information to riders and the wider community
and also better inform road safety organisations in their future decision-making. It is supported
by the Australian Research Council, VicRoads, Victoria Police, the TAC, the Department of
Justice and the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce.
•
It is known that speed is a factor that determines the severity of injury in the event of a crash,
but there is less information about the role that travel speed plays in causing a crash, and
whether there is any interaction between travel speed and other factors, like rider experience.
The potential contribution of the physical environment is also not well understood, such as road
geometry, intersection type, and condition of the road surface. The study uses a similar
methodology to that of the 1981 Hurt Report, often considered to be the first comprehensive
investigation of motorcycle crash causes. In addition, information about the role of the physical
environment will be gathered by comparing features of the crash site with other sites that rider
rode through without incident.
•
The study involves two participant groups – riders who have been recently injured in a crash
(cases) and riders who pass through recent crash sites without incident (controls). By
comparing the “cases” with the “controls” groups, the research aims to investigate whether
there are relationships between successfully avoiding a crash and characteristics such as travel
speed, the riders’ level of training and experience, and the type of bike. Similarly, by
comparing features of the crash site with another site the motorcyclist rides through,
information can be gathered about the role of the physical environment. A detailed crash
investigation will also be completed for each case, to assess the full range of possible
contributing factors, including those involving other road users.
•
MUARC is recruiting case participants by directly approaching those riders injured in crashes and
who are admitted to participating hospitals across Melbourne and surrounding areas. Control
participants are being recruited by photographing number plates as riders pass through recent
crash locations. VicRoads is writing to these riders, on behalf of MUARC, inviting them to
participate in the study. Participation is voluntary.
Progress – as at December 2014
Recruitment of Participants
• Recruitment of study participants has been completed.
•
Recruitment of injured riders commenced at the Alfred Hospital in Jan 2012 (our main
recruitment hospital). Our recruitment rate improved as more hospitals became active, and
remained strong throughout 2013, but remained below our initial predictions. To ensure the
study had the best possible statistical power, we were able to extend the recruitment phase to
Aug 2014 thanks to additional funds made available in Dec 2013.
•
At the end of case recruitment our final numbers were as follows: Of those admitted patients
that were eligible, 291 riders were approached and 236 case riders were recruited (81% of
those approached agreed to participate). Among those not approached – the largest groups
were those that were missed at the time of their admission and/or unable to determine
eligibility. We followed up those who were missed at our Trauma Hospitals with an invitation
letter (13 riders subsequently participated via telephone interview).
•
The recruitment of the control riders (those passing the crash site without incident) commenced
in May 2012 with the assistance of VicRoads, and was completed in Dec 2014. A total of 545
control riders were recruited. The response rate from those riders VicRoads has invited by
mail on our behalf was 33%, which was better than expected. Most responses (83%) were
completed via the hardcopy questionnaire (reply-paid envelope) rather than the online version.
•
Our crash investigator was able to provide information to case participants when requested,
such as photographs of their bike, the crash scene or a summary report of the investigation
Personnel and Training
• Our Monash University-based team (technical field officer, motorcycle safety inspection officer,
research nurse-all experienced motorcyclists) have completed their work for this study. Our
safety inspection officer will stay on P/T with the project until Jan 2015 to help finalise checking
of data collected from crash and control sites. We also have two casually appointed research
assistants helping with data checking and entry.
Study Results
• Having recently completed recruitment for both case and control riders (30 Nov 2014), we are
now finalising all data checking and data entry. We are also into the analysis phase of the
study for the case-control data. We expect to have results publicly available by mid 2015.
Feasibility study on other road user - for multi-vehicle crashes
• Over 60% of cases investigated in this study have involved another vehicle. To investigate the
feasibility of gaining information from the other road users for these crashes, we commenced a
‘piggyback study’ to MICIMS with assistance from Victoria Police. Ethics approval was granted
by Monash University and Victoria Police to contact and invite participation from the other road
user(s) in motorcycle crashes investigated as part of the MICIMS study.
•
Of those crashes where another vehicle was involved, Victoria Police obtained contact details of
105 other road users. They have been contacted by mail on behalf of Monash University, and
invited to complete a questionnaire about their perspective of the crash events and about
themselves. The results of this study are expected early in 2015.
Publications
•
A methods paper on the study design has been published. See BMC Public Health (2013) 13:72. DOI:
10.1186/1471-2458-13-72.
•
An abstract based on early case-series data has been published following a presentation at the
Australasian Road Safety Conference in Brisbane (p30 August 2013).
•
An abstract on Victoria’s active motorcycle fleet, using control data collected from this study,
was presented to the 2014 Australasian Road Safety Conference in Melbourne (Nov 2014).
If you would like a copy of any of these papers or abstracts, please contact Trevor (details below)
If you would like to be included in our email list for notification of study updates, or have any
questions about the study, please contact:
Trevor Allen
Study Coordinator
Trevor.allen@monash.edu
03 9905 1092
Lesley Day
Principal Investigator
Lesley.day@monash.edu
03 9905 1811