4.1. Motorcycle Moving Straight at Intersection

Figure 7 shows a motorcycle-car accident case history that occurred at an intersection controlled by traffic signals. When a car was making a right turn after oncoming vehicles had passed, a motorcycle unaware of the car enters the intersection at a speed of 76 km/h. The motorcycle was rapidly braked but crashed into the left side of the car at an impact speed of 22 km/h. The running speed of the car was 12 km/h.   The motorcycle occupant wearing a open face helmet was crashed into a left door window area of the car from the face, with an impact mark found in the left frontal part of the helmet. As a result the motorcycle occupant sustained neck sprain, cerebral concussion, and a lacerated wound in the face and mouth. The face shield of the helmet was found broken.

Fig. 7 Accident configuration (motorcycle moving straight) Photo 1 Impact mark on helmet

4.2. Motorcycle Making a Right Turn at Intersection

Figure 8 shows another accident case history that took place at an irregularly shaped intersection. A motorcyclist, having recognized an approaching oncoming car, tried to make a right turn at a speed of 35 km/h. At a flash of the yellow light, however, the approaching car speeded up into the intersection at 56 km/h. The motorcyclist was crashed into the windshield right bottom and the right door mirror in the left head area. The face shield of his full face helmet was found broken. Although injured in the upper and lower limbs, the motorcyclists received no injury in the head area.

Fig. 8 Accident configuration (motorcycle making right turn) Photo 2 Damaged full face helmet

4.3. Motorcycle Passing a Car at Intersection

In the Figure 9 accident case history, a car without checking the traffic in behind made a right turn at 10 km/h to enter into a branching road. A motorcycle trying to pass the car from the right rear at 80 km/h collided into the car on its right side at an impact speed of 67 km/h. Then the motorcycle fell on its left side and coasted on the road over a 17 meter distance. The motorcycle occupant was injured in his limbs, face and head. His full face helmet exhibited in its left chin/ear areas fricative scars marked by the road surface.

Fig. 9 Accident configuration (motorcycle passing a car) Photo 2 Scarred full face helmet

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Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA)