What’s the most important thing to do when riding motorcycles?

October 28, 2009 — Coral Gables — One of the joys of riding a motorcycle is the freedom that comes with that form of travel. However the absence of physical barriers to protect riders puts motorcyclists at a higher risk of injury than other motorists. Motorcycle fatalities have been on the rise for many years, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Hence a group of researchers from the University of Miami (UM) and Florida International University (FIU) conducted one of the first longitudinal analyses of the effect of public policies to reduce motorcycle injuries and fatalities. The researchers believe the study to be the first to use rigorous econometric techniques to analyze whether traffic and alcohol policies affect non-fatal as well as fatal motorcycle injuries. The findings offer evidence that certain state policies can effectively reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with motorcycle riding. The findings are published in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Health Economics.