Skip to main content

Swedish motorcycle test

In Sweden crash testing has been carried out using motorcycles for the first time. Four crash tests were carried out at the VTI crash laboratory in Linköping, Sweden, for the client, the insurance company Folksam. As a result, Swedish motorcyclists can expect safer barriers according to VTI, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Insitute. The VTI have participated in two different projects with focus on better safety for motorcyclists. The first project was run in cooperation with the Swedish Mo
November 10, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
In Sweden crash testing has been carried out using motorcycles for the first time. Four crash tests were carried out at the 7264 VTI crash laboratory in Linköping, Sweden, for the client, the insurance company Folksam. As a result, Swedish motorcyclists can expect safer barriers according to VTI, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Insitute.

The VTI have participated in two different projects with focus on better safety for motorcyclists. The first project was run in cooperation with the Swedish Motorcyclists Association (SMC) and the Swedish parapet and barrier association (SVBRF). This studied existing literature to describe state-of-the art in motorcycle to barrier crash interaction. In the second project, initiated by Folksam, four full-scale crash tests on barriers with different kinds of protection was executed.

The joint result from these two projects opened a possibility to run a final crash test with a simple prototype of a plastic cover to shield the sharp edge on the top of the barrier. According to VTI, this prototype will help reduce injuries to motorcyclists in the event of an impact. In the various tests, different kinds of motorcycle protection systems were installed on a traditional W-beam and sigma post barriers.

The cover will let the motorcyclist slide along the barrier instead of getting stuck, lowering the severity of injuries.

The positive outcome is all about covering sharp edges and protruding parts, including the posts of the barrier. The plastic tube is a cheap and simple way of demonstrating a principle but it is yet not a finished product according to VTI.
The VTI crash laboratory is an accredited test facility for the EN1317 European test procedure for barriers. Being part of the international work with the procedure research engineer at the VTI crash laboratory, Jan Wenäll, will bring this experience to the ongoing development of an additional procedure for motorcyclists addition to the same procedure.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Tampere road tunnel - a strategic link for central Finland
    April 4, 2016
    Progress has been good for an important underground road link in Finland reports Adrian Greeman. Assuming all goes well, the new Ranta, or Lakeside, tunnel in Tampere will open in full six months early; traffic could be running by the end of this year. Work on transforming the rundown city centre with new developments will get a major boost. It is a major achievement on a four-year-long project bringing significant benefits to one of Finland's largest cities. From the government's point of view the scheme w
  • Fast bridge building in Tennessee
    July 5, 2016
    The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) recently completed the Fast Fix 8 bridge project in Nashville, with help from a Power Curbers slipformer belonging to Irwin Concrete Construction. TDOT’s goal was to replace eight ageing interstate bridges along Interstate 40 through Nashville using a process called Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). This uses fast-paced, around-the-clock work to limit road closures and speed up bridge completion, impacting surrounding communities as little as possibl
  • Safer vehicles to cut crashes in Brazil
    November 16, 2015
    Brazil’s road death rate could be reduced with safer vehicles. This has been highlighted by a new research report from the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). The report has revealed that 34,000 Brazilian lives could be saved and 350,000 serious injuries prevented by 2030, if UN vehicle safety regulations were adopted and car manufacturers sought to achieve higher ratings in the Latin NCAP crash test programme.
  • Developments in minimising construction defects
    February 27, 2012
    Egis has an innovative approach to addressing construction defects - *Martin O’Flaherty, Jean Pohu. Defects often become apparent after construction projects are handed over to the client and this is a common problem across most highway projects. The problem is shared by highway operators who have assumed the responsibility of managing such projects.