Every year approximately 50 motorcyclists are killed on the Swedish roads and almost 400 are severely injured according to police records. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between a number of risk factors related to motorcycle fatal crashes in Sweden and to investigate the potential of different countermeasures aimed to motorcycle safety. The study used in-depth studies of fatal motorcycle crashes conducted by the Swedish Transport Administration during the period 2005–2008 (n=182). Proven or reasonable relationships between a specific countermeasure and the reduction in the number of fatalities were used as the basis for every calculation. Every fatal crash was analyzed and critical events throughout the chain of events leading to the crash were identified. An assessment was then made of whether certain countermeasures could have prevented the crash or mitigated the injury outcome. However, for natural reasons, the reliability of these assessments could vary depending on the problem area. In certain cases they were very dependable, whereas in other cases they could merely represent assessments of the maximum benefit.

The potential (number of saved lives per year in Sweden) of different countermeasures or intervention areas included in the study were presented depending on which element of the road system (user, vehicle and infrastructure) they related to, and were successively grouped depending on the reliability of the assessment. It was also shown how no use of helmet, drunkdriving, no motorcycle driving license or excessive speeding may occur in the same crashes. For instance, it was found that all killed motorcyclists who did not use a helmet were either under the influence of alcohol and/or had no motorcycle driving license.

This study may constitute a suitable basis for developing local and national strategies aimed at reducing the number of fatalities among motorcyclists, as interventions should be objectively prioritized depending on the expected effects. However, it is also important to note that Swedish conditions may differ from other countries. Furthermore, these calculations did not take into account any behavioral effects that could conceivably follow from certain countermeasures.