Motorcyclists in the bus lane – is it safer?
The results from a recent Tel Aviv trial of motorcycles in the bus lane have been published. Like past studies of motorcyclists using bus lanes, the results showed indications of improvements to overall motorcycle safety, yet there are a number of inconclusive or unanswered questions.
This is similar to two UK studies that showed safety improvements for motorcyclists, however the results were not statistically significant for one of the studies.
The safety question these trials are trying to determine is; are the safety advantages of motorcyclists being away from the general vehicular traffic greater than the increased risk of some specific crash types (see video below)?
Over the past nine years VicRoads/DoT has been trialing motorcyclists in the bus lane on Hoddle Street (and more recently Victoria Parade). We’re looking forward to seeing the results published.