title: Effectiveness of antilock braking systems in reducing motorcycle fatal crash rates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Overbraking and underbraking have been shown to be common factors in motorcycle crashes. Antilock braking systems (ABS) prevent wheels from locking during braking and may make riders less reluctant to apply full braking force. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ABS in fatal motorcycle crashes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Motorcycle drivers involved in fatal crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years were compared for 13 motorcycle models with optional ABS and those same models without the option during 2003-2008. Motorcycles with optional ABS were included only if the presence of the option could be identified from the vehicle identification number.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of fatal motorcycle crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years was 37 percent lower for ABS models than for their non-ABS versions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ABS appears to be highly effective in preventing fatal motorcycle crashes based on some early adopters of motorcycle ABS technology.
authors.affiliation: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arlington, Virginia 22201, USA. eteoh@iihs.org
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Teoh
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009049:Motorcycles; D011482:Protective Devices; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology