ABS reduces fatal motorcycle accidents by 22%, a study finds

ABS reduces fatal motorcycle accidents by 22%, a study finds

ABS reduces fatal motorcycle accidents by 22%, a study finds

The study by Eric R. Teoh , published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, is actually the third of its kind by the same researcher. The two previous studies, in 2011 and 2013, found an even greater reduction in crashes due to ABS. The underlying message, that ABS reduces fatal crashes, however, is not significantly different.

Let's take a quick look at how the study was conducted, what it found, and some questions to ask.

ABS and motorcycle accidents

The study used data from 2003 to 2019 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. FARS tracks fatal crashes on public roads. In this study, Teoh identified 65 motorcycle models sold with optional ABS, then compared the number of fatal crashes between ABS-equipped and non-ABS-equipped motorcycles of the same model. ABS-equipped motorcycles were identified based on their VINs.

A simple comparison of ABS and non-ABS motorcycle accidents would inevitably mean comparing different types of motorcycles and riding styles. By comparing the same models, with and without ABS, the study eliminated that potential bias.

Bottom line: The study found 5,7 fatal crashes per 10.000 registered vehicle years (number of vehicles and number of years on the road) for motorcycles with ABS and 7,4 per 10.000 for those without ABS.

Some limitations and disadvantages

There are limits to what we can learn from a study like this, and it's worth taking a quick look at some of these.

For one, the population of motorcycles that can be purchased with or without ABS is not representative of the total population of motorcycles on US roads. For example, cruisers and standards are severely underrepresented in this sample.

It's also been theorized that motorcyclists who pay more for ABS are more safety-conscious and therefore less likely to crash. On the other hand, a study of motorists found that some drivers take more risks because ABS and other aids like stability control give them a greater sense of security. Teoh's study examined other risk factors recorded in reports and found no significant difference between ABS and non-ABS riders, except that speed was slightly more likely to be a factor in fatal crashes among non-ABS riders.

Furthermore, by using FARS, this study only examined crashes that resulted in death. The same level of scrutiny isn't given to many other non-fatal motorcycle crashes, and those crashes could potentially tell a slightly different story.

Finally, it's worth noting that the IIHS supports mandatory ABS and, in the more distant past, has taken some controversial positions regarding high-performance motorcycles. A study isn't necessarily flawed just because the entity funding it has an agenda, but it's worth considering.

What is ABS really for?

I know by now someone is already writing in the comments section, saying something like “I drove for 40 years without ABS and I don’t need an electronic nanny” or “Learn to brake properly and use your right hand, that’s your ABS!”

But ABS isn't just for people who don't have good braking technique. It's for that moment when you're driving home after dark and can't see the sand or spilled diesel fuel or anything else on the road. It's for that unexpected panic scenario that requires perfect braking technique from a less-than-perfect human.

Like me, for example. Thirteen years ago, on a cold April morning, I had just left the house and was driving to work on a city street when a woman in her car stopped in front of me, rushing to McDonald's for breakfast. Cold tires, unexpected threat, insert further excuses here. The end result was that I locked the front end and got out.

No one was injured. Minimal damage. But the ABS would have prevented it. Even perfect braking technique would have prevented it, and the technique I used would have been perfect on a warm, sunny afternoon. But it wasn't at that moment on a cold morning. Just something to think about.

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