イタルダ インフォメーション

ITARDA INFORMATION
交通事故分析レポート

No.102

Reduction in moped accidents
and alleviation of damageslSpeciafeature~Always conﬁrm safety at intersections and wear chest protectors~

Fatalities due to head injuries have declined
whereas fatalities due to chest injuries have not!
400

Head

Fatalities (No. of people)

350
300

Chest

250

Abdomen

200
150

Neck

100

Leg

50

Arm

0
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Year

Trend in Class-1 moped fatalities by body part mainly injuredLetʼs wear helmet correctly to protect our heads!
Letʼs take initiative in wearing the chest protectors as well!
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P2
2 Number of registered motorcycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P2
3 Characteristics of Class-1 moped accidents . . . . . . P3
4 Key points to alleviate damages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P6
5 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8

特集

原付事故低減と被害の軽減〜交差点での安全確認と胸部プロテクターの装着に努めましょう〜

1 IntroductionŶLately, no decline is seen in fatalities due to Class-1 Moped accidents*1

Fig.1 shows the trend in fatalities (all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of the accident) by mode oftransportation from the year 2003 through 2012, based on the Road Traffic Accident Statistics by National
Police Agency. Fatalities are on the decline for all modes of transportation.
However, Figure 2 shows that among motorcycles, fatalities (all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of theaccident) are more in case of Class-1 mopeds. Fatalities of class-1 moped riders have been on the decline
from 2004 through 2009, but beyond that there has not been much reduction. Why there has not been any
decline in fatalities of class-1 moped riders lately?
In this issue, we shall analyze the fatalities and composition ratio of class-1 moped accidents and in view of
those characteristics observed we shall try to device measures for the prevention of such accidents, together
with the measures to alleviate damages.

3,500
Occupying a four-wheeler
Occupying a motorcycle
Occupying a bicycle
While walking

3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500

700

Fatalities (No. of people)

Fatalities (No. of people)*1 Including motorcycles (total displacement) such as class-1 mopeds (50cc or less), small motorcycles (over 250cc), light motorcycles(over 125cc and below 250cc) and class-2 mopeds (over 50cc and below 125cc).

Riding class-1 moped
Riding small motorcycle
Riding light motorcycle
Riding class-2 moped

600
500
400
300
200
100

0

0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year

Fig.1: Trend in fatalities by mode of transportation

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year

Fig.2: Trend in fatalities by type of motorcycles

2 Number of registered motorcycles■Number of registered Class-1 mopeds are on the decline
Figure 3 shows the trend in number of motorcycles registered*2 by their type. Whereas class-2 mopeds, small
and light motorcycles exhibit slight increase or no difference over the years, the number of class-1 mopeds
registered has reduced to 6,899,459 vehicles in 2012 from 8,915,037 vehicles in the year 2003, a reductionof 2,015,578 vehicles.
*2 1) Based on Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s statistical data, “Monthly report on number of registered motorcycles starting from 2003,
as of end of December, 2012.”
2) Based on Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ data, “Number of registered mopeds etc. starting from 2003,as of April 1, 2012.”

No. of registered class-1 mopeds(10,000 vehicles)

900
300
800
250

700
600

200

500
150

400
300

100
Class-1 mopeds
Light motorcycles
Small motorcycles
Class-2 mopeds

200
100

50

0

0
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012
Year

Fig.3: Trend in the no. of registered motorcycles by their type
ITARDA INFORMATION no.102

No. of registered vehicles other thanclass-1 mopeds (10,000 vehicles)

350

1,000

ITARDA INFORMATION no.102

3 Characteristics of Class-1 moped accidentsŶClass-1 moped accidents claim elderly lives more often, a trend still prevailing in recent years.

180

1,000

160

800
600
400
200

16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 or overClass-1
mopeds

16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 or over

0

Small
motorcycles

Class-2
mopedsLight
motorcycles

Fatalities (No. of people)

1,200

16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 or over
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 or overFatalities (No. of people)

Fig.4 shows the fatalities (cumulative total from 2003 to 2012 of all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of
the accidents) from motorcycle accidents by age group and by the type of motorcycles. Whereas fatalities
related to small and light motorcycles comprise mainly of younger riders, the trend shows a decline infatalities with the increase in age group. However, unlike other motorcycles, fatalities are more among theyounger 16-24 group and the elderly group in case of class-1 mopeds.
Fig.5 shows the trend in fatalities (all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of the accidents) for class-1
mopeds by age group.
A steady decline in fatalities can be seen among the younger group of 16-24, while there is no reduction in
the elderly fatalities over 65, beyond the year 2009. Hence, if the fatalities of elderly riders which accounts
for more class-1 moped fatalities do not show a decline, it will affect the slowdown of class-1 moped
fatalities. Let us now observe the characteristics of elderly fatalities in class-1 moped accidents.
75 or over
65-74
55-64
45-54
35-44
25-34
16-24

140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year

Fig.4 Fatalities by the type of motorcycle and by age group(Cumulative total from 2003 to 2012)

Fig.5 Trend in class-1 moped fatalities
by age group■Watch out for crossing collisions at intersections
Hereafter, let us analyze the class-1 moped accidents in terms of comparison between the two age groups of
65 or over and 64 or under.
Fatalities (cumulative total from 2003 to 2012 of all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of the accidents) by
the type of road configuration, are more at intersections and crossing collisions result in more fatalities whencompared by the type of accident. (Fig.6 and 7)
Looking by age group, fatalities are more among the elderly group of 65 or over. Moreover, among this age
group, fatalities resulting from vehicle-to-vehicle collisions while turning right and collisions with electricpoles, sign posts etc. are lesser as compared to 64 or under. Hence, riders should be cautious aboutcrossing collisions at intersections which lead to fatalities more often.

Intersection

Independent collisions

Fig.6 Class-1 moped fatalities by type of road
conﬁguration and age group(Cumulative total from 2003 to 2012)

Vehicle-to-vehicle collisions

Collision withroad-sidestructures/parked vehicles

0

Running oﬀ
the road/slumping/overturning

500

Collisions whileturning left

Railroad crossing

TunnelBridgeCurve

Road sections of
uninterrupted ﬂow(straight course etc.)0

Nearintersection

500

1,000

Rear-end
collisions

1,000

1,500

Head-oncollisions

1,500

Collisions whileturning right

2,000

64 or under
65 or over

2,000

Crossing
collisions

2,500

Fatalities (No. of people)

2,500
64 or under
65 or over

Intersection

Fatalities (No. of people)

3,000

Independent
collisions

Fig.7 Class-1 moped accidents by typeof accident and by age group(Cumulative total from 2003 to 2012)
ITARDA INFORMATION no.102

特集

原付事故低減と被害の軽減〜交差点での安全確認と胸部プロテクターの装着に努めましょう〜ŶFailure to confirm safety and to stop temporarily cause accidents
Fig. 8 shows the fatalities (cumulative total of only drivers from 2003 to 2012 within 24 hours of theaccidents) due to crossing collisions at intersections by human errors. While failure to confirm safety is the
predominant cause, elderly riders of 65 or over account for the majority of such fatalities.
Fig.9 shows the fatalities (cumulative total of only drivers from 2003 to 2012 within 24 hours of the accidents)
due to crossing collisions at intersections by the type of traffic violations committed. Apparently, violation of
traffic rules like failure to stop temporarily etc. and duty to confirm safety at intersections before proceeding
etc. account for more fatalities while 60% of violations of traffic rules like failure to stop temporarily etc. arecommitted by elderly riders aged 65 or over.
800

Fig.8 Class-1 moped fatalities by type ofhuman errors and by age group(Cumulative total of crossing collisions
at intersections from 2003 to 2012)

300
200
100
0

Obstructionof priority traﬃcOthers

Improperoperation

Failure to notice
movements
carefully

Improperprediction

Error inunderstanding
traﬃc environment

0

Failure to lookahead carefully

200

400

Violation of duty
to drive safely

400

500

Violation of duty
to conﬁrm safety
before proceeding

600

600

Failure to stop
temporarily

800

64 or under
65 or over700

Fatalities (No. of people)

1,000

Failure to
conﬁrm safety

Fatalities (No. of people)

1,200

Others64 or under
65 or over

Violation ofslow-moving zone

1,400

Fig.9 Class-1 moped fatalities by type oftraﬃc violations and by age group(Cumulative total of crossing collisions
at intersections from 2003 to 2012)ŶHead and chest are the body parts injured
Which parts of the body are mainly injured during accidents?
Fig. 10 shows fatalities (cumulative total from 2003 to 2012 of all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of theaccidents) by the body parts mainly injured. Head and chest injuries are predominant.
Fig.11 shows the trend in fatalities (all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of the accidents) by the bodyparts mainly injured. Although head injuries accounts for the majority of fatalities, it has reduced drasticallyover the past 10 years. Following in number is the fatalities due to chest injuries, which however do not show
any significant decline in the trend.

400
64 or under
65 or over

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

Fatalities (No. of people)

Fatalities (No. of people)

2,500

350
300
250

Head
Chest
Abdomen
Neck
Leg
Arm

200
150
100

Multiple
parts

Leg

Arm

Abdomen

Chest

Neck

0

Head

50

Fig.10 Class-1 moped fatalities by the body parts
mainly injured and by age group(Cumulative total from 2003 to 2012)
ITARDA INFORMATION no.10202003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year

Fig.11 Trend in class-1 moped fatalities
by the body parts mainly injured

ITARDA INFORMATION no.102
Fig. 12 shows the trend in fatalities (all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of the accident) resulting fromhead and chest injuries of riders aged 64 or under, whereas Fig. 13 shows the trend for riders aged 65 orover. Fatalities due to chest injuries do not show any decline even when considered in view of the age groupof riders.
Fatalities due to chest injury in the age group of 65 or over in 2013 is close to that of head injuries. Hence it
is imperative that both head and chest should be protected from sustaining injuries in order to reduce
damages in class-1 moped accidents.
Fatalities due to head injuries is believed to have shown a decline by protecting the head during accidents
owing to the establishment of wearing helmets; it seems in future chest protectors are also required to beworn in order to protect the chest from sustaining injuries.
250
Head
Chest

200
150
100
50

Fatalities (No. of people)

Fatalities (No. of people)

250

Head
Chest

200
150
100
50
0

0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year

Fig.12 Trend in class-1 moped fatalities
due to head and chest injuring
accidents in the age group 64 or underFig.13 Trend in class-1 moped fatalities
due to head and chest injuring
accidents in the age group 65 or overŶHead and chest injuries are sustained during vehicle-to-vehicle crossing collisions
Let’s study further about the head and chest injuring accidents which lead to fatalities more often.
Fig.14 shows the fatalities (cumulative total from 2003 to 2012 of all motorcycle occupants within 24 hours of
the accidents) due to head and chest injuring accidents by the type of accidents. While Fig.15 shows analysisof the type of accidents in detail.
Apparently, fatalities due to head and chest injuries occur more during vehicle-to-vehicle collisions while thedetail shows that crossing collisions accounts for more fatalities.
1,200
64 or under
65 or over

Head

Chest

Fig.14 Class-1 moped fatalities due tohead and chest injuring accidents
by type of accident and by age(Cumulative total from 2003 to 2012)

Vehicle-to-vehicle Independent
collisions
collisions
Head

Rear-end collisions

Head-on collisions

Collisions whileturning right

OthersIndependent
collisions

Vehicle-to-vehicle
collisions

Man-vehicle
collisions

OthersIndependent
collisions

0

Vehicle-to-vehicle
collisions

200

0

Crossing collisions

400

200
Collisions whileturning left
Running oﬀ the road/slumping/overturning
Collision with road-side
structures/parked vehicles

600

400

Head-on collisions

800

Rear-end collisions

1,000

600

Collisions whileturning right

1,200

800

Crossing collisions

1,400

64 or under
65 or over

1,000

Fatalities (No. of people)

1,600

Man-vehicle
collisions

Fatalities (No. of people)

1,800

Collisions whileturning left
Running oﬀ the road/slumping/overturning
Collision with road-side
structures/parked vehicles

2,000

Vehicle-to-vehicle Independent
collisions
collisions
Chest

Fig.15 Class-1 moped fatalities due tohead and chest injuring accidents
by type of accidents in detail and by age

ITARDA INFORMATION no.102

特集

原付事故低減と被害の軽減〜交差点での安全確認と胸部プロテクターの装着に努めましょう〜

4 Key points to alleviate damagesŶEffect of wearing helmets
Let’s look at the effect of wearing helmets in alleviating the damages of an accident.
Fig.16 shows the fatality ratio (cumulative total from 2003 to 2012 of all motorcycle occupants within 24 hoursof the accidents) while riding a class-1 moped with and without wearing the helmet. Fatality rate denotes thepercentage of fatalities to casualties. The fatality rate when not wearing the helmet is roughly 7 times as thatof wearing the helmet and it has not come off which indicates the importance of wearing helmets inalleviating the damages of an accident. In case of elderly riders aged 65 or over, the fatality rate is morewhen not wearing helmets or when wearing but has come off as compared to the age group 64 or under,
which makes it all the more important to wear the helmet properly.

Fatality rate (%)

9.0
8.0

65 or over64 or under

7.0

All ages

8.1
7.1

6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0

2.0

2.5

2.9
2.1

1.2
0.2 0.3
Wearing helmet andhas not come oﬀ

Not wearing
helmetWearing helmet but
has come oﬀ

Fig.16 Fatality rate of class-1 moped riders when wearing or not wearing
helmets by age group (Cumulative total from 2003 to 2012)
Fatality rate = Fatalities / Casualties x 100 (%)ŶEffect of wearing chest protectors
Introduced below is the test conducted by Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI) in order to speculate
the effect of wearing chest protectors. (Excerpts from ITARDA Research Report*3)*3 Research Report of March 2011: “Research on chest protection of motorcycle riders conducted in Aug. 2010.”〔1. Speculate the effect of wearing a protector by way of chest impact test on a dummy 〕
Fig.17 shows a dummy fitted with a chest protector. A pendulum-type impactor as shown in Fig.17-1 was
employed for applying impact on the dummy’s chest region and various data were measured with and without
fitting the chest protector.

8 guide wires

Fig.17 A dummy ﬁtted with chest protector

ITARDA INFORMATION no.102

Retainer

Fig.17-1 Image showing an impactor applying impact(Only impactor was used during the test)

ITARDA INFORMATION no.102
Fig.17-2 shows the aspects of the impact test. While both flat-tipped and protruding impactors were
employed to demonstrate the effect, wearing a chest protector proved useful in both the cases than notwearing, where the deformation of the dummy was more prominent. The alleviation of damage during impact
can therefore be expected.

Impactor profile

Without protector

With protector

Flat tip

Protruding tip

Fig.17-2 Impact test
〔 2. Example of commercially available chest protectors 〕
Various kinds of chest protectors can be purchased at the motorcycle dealers or at the accessory shops.
Choices like protectors integrated in jackets as well as protectors which can be worn directly as shown in
Fig.18 are available.

Fig.18 Example of commercially available chest protectors〔 3. Awareness activities for wearing chest protectors 〕＜Reproduced from the Metropolitan Police Department website＞
The Department is encouraging motorcycle riders to wear chest protectors for protecting their bodies fromthe impact of the accident in the following manner.

The watchword is~Seat-belt for cars and protectors for motorcycles~
Examples of chest and abdomen protectors

Even the white
motorcycle police
wear protectors

Vest-type

Simple model(soft-type)

Simple model(for chest only)

Always secure fast the chin-strapof helmets and wear protectors
Source: http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/kotu/roadplan/safety_riders.htm
ITARDA INFORMATION no.102

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

(5)
(6)

Overall fatalities of motorcycle riders show a declining trend, however, reduction in class-1
moped fatalities is not seen.
Fatalities of young class-1 moped riders are on the decline while no reduction is seen inthat of elderly riders.
Fatalities are more at intersections when seen by the type of road configuration.
Looking by the type of accidents, fatalities as a result of crossing collisions are more,
whereas by the cause of accidents fatalities occur more often when the rider fails to confirm
safety or stop temporarily for safety check.
Deaths are more due to head and chest injuries in accidents when seen by the body parts
mainly injured while the cause of such accidents are vehicle-to-vehicle crossing collisions.
Although reduction in fatalities due to head injuries is observed, same is not the casewith that of chest injuries. Wearing helmet together with chest protectors is necessary
to protect the body from injuries.

ITARDA INFORMATION

ŶSituation of class-1 moped accidents

交通事故分析レポート

5 ConclusionŶFor reduction in accidents and alleviation of damages
(1)

(2)

No.102

公益財団法人 交通事故総合分析センター〒101 0064 東 京 都 千 代 田 区 猿 楽 町 ２ ７ ８

Key to prevent class-1 moped accidents
Let’s avoid crossing collisions at intersections etc., by stopping the vehicle temporarily
and confirming safety.
Key to alleviate damages incurred by class-1 moped accidents
Needless to say wearing helmets properly plays a vital role in alleviating damages due
to accidents. Moreover, wearing chest protectors and other safety gear is believed tobe effective in alleviating the damages. Let’s be proactive in wearing safety gears so
as to alleviate the damages incurred in accidents and thus be prepared for the worst.

25(Author: Kazunori Matsumura)

Noticez Starting Monday 16 December, 2013 our headquarters have moved to the following address.
8th floor Sumitomo Suidobashi building, 2-7-8 Sarugakucho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 101-0064, JAPAN
Phone: +81-3-5577-3977 (main) Fax: +81-3-5577-3980

z Please feel free to download the previous issues of ITARDA INFORMATION available at our
Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analyses website. Free downloads of otherstatistical databases and research reports are also provided for your reference.

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