Visibility

Think Bike advocates wearing high visibility vests and having reflective tape or piping on your clothing. But does this really make a difference regarding your safety or is it just a money-making scheme? I searched the Internet for any data that might substantiate this view and although there are many articles urging riders to wear such clothing, I could find only one real and believable study.

Study, results and conclusions from the New Zealand website Motorcycle Safety Info (http://www.motorcyclesafetyinfo.com/motorcycle_rider_conspicuity_study.html)

 

Results

Crash-related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self-reported light-coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark-coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation.

Conclusions

Low conspicuity may increase the risk of motorcycle crash-related injury. Increasing the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, white or light-coloured helmets, and daytime headlights are simple, cheap interventions that could considerably reduce motorcycle crash-related injury and death.