The second quarter of an evaluation of the driving of heavy motorcycle riders on freeways has been completed, and the results of the reviews of the first two quarters were unfavorable, the Freeway Bureau said yesterday.
The bureau last year established a team to monitor the behavior of riders of heavy motorcycle on freeways and highways for one year.
The team — made up of independent transportation experts, road authorities and representatives from different groups representing different road users — stipulated the standards by which the motorcyclists were to be judged, including the number of fatal accidents caused and the number of traffic violations and illegal acts as reported by the police.
Illegal acts encompass frequently swerving in and out of traffic, overtaking other vehicles or changing lanes without following proper procedures, riding alongside other vehicles in the same lane, riding on freeway shoulders, failing to follow traffic signs or signals, and failing to keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
The team began monitoring motorcyclists in July last year via surveillance cameras installed along Freeway No. 3A, a 5.6km branch of the Formosa Freeway (National Freeway No. 3) connecting Taipei and the Muzha System Interchange, and Highway No. 64 — the two freeway sections that can be used by riders of heavy motorcycles.
The evaluation results are reviewed every quarter and compared with those of drivers of small passenger vehicles.
If the riders meet the standards set for them and do not commit more traffic violations than drivers of small passenger vehicles, the bureau could then choose other freeway sections for motorcyclists to use.
Data collected by the Chinese Institute of Transportation from October to December last year showed that riders of heavy motorcycles on Highway No. 64 were 11.88 times more likely than motorists to get into accidents leading to fatalities or casualties, which was slightly higher than during the July to September survey (11.6 times).
Riders of heavy motorcycles did better than drivers of small passenger vehicles on Freeway 3A during the same periods, causing no accidents leading to death or injury.
In terms of reported traffic offenses between October and December, motorcycle riders on Freeway No. 3A were 1.71 times more likely than drivers to commit such violations, much lower than during the first period (4.5 times), the evaluation showed.
However, on Highway 64, motorcyclists were 4.45 times more likely to breach traffic regulations during the second review period, up from 1.5 times in the initial period.
The second-quarter review showed motorcyclists on Freeway No. 3A were 7.64 times more likely than drivers to engage dangerous driving behaviors, compared to 4.36 times on the Highway No. 64.
“Based on what we have seen so far, results have put riders of heavy motorcycles in an unfavorable light. There is a long way to go before we can open all the freeways to the motorcyclists,” he said.
There will be two more quarterly reviews before the evaluation ends on June 30.
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