Reduced tyre grip. Reduced visibility. Longer stopping distances. Painted line marking and steel plates becoming slippery. Drivers less likely to detect riders in poor weather.
Yet interestingly, only around 18% of motorcycle crashes in Victoria occur on wet roads (TAC data).
At first glance, that almost sounds counter intuitive.
But the reason is largely exposure. Historically, many riders simply avoided riding in the rain. Recreational riders especially would often choose not to ride in poor weather conditions.
The challenge is that motorcycle riding patterns are changing.
We’re seeing more urban utility riding:
- Food delivery riders
- Gig economy riders
- Low cost transport users
- Riders commuting regardless of weather conditions
Unlike recreational riders, these riders often don’t have the luxury of deciding “I’ll just wait until it stops raining”.
Which means exposure during wet weather is increasing.
And as exposure changes, the crash profile changes with it.
It’s a good reminder that historical crash data needs to be interpreted carefully. A lower percentage of crashes in wet weather does not necessarily mean wet weather is low risk for motorcyclists. It may simply mean riders historically avoided those conditions.
As riding patterns evolve, we should probably expect the trauma patterns to evolve too.
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