Analysis and Risk Management of Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Crashes in Minnesota

Summary

In Minnesota, the reduction in overall roadway fatalities have plateaued, as motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes and fatalities have plateaued relative to historical trends and pedestrian fatalities have increased in 2024. The causes of the increase in frequency and severity of these crashes have not been fully accounted for, resulting in little actionable information for local agencies to address the problem. The Minnesota Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) notes that the highest proportion of fatality and serious injury crash proportions are motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The research team intends to examine available data to examine this issue in detail on the basis of prior research, including pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle crash and fatality characteristics, bicycle and pedestrian traffic count data, motorcycle registration details, and other factors to determine what environmental (e.g., roadway, infrastructure, weather), technological, demographic, and/or behavioral factors are reliably associated with the likelihood or severity of a crash. Then as part of a risk management process, the research team will lead a risk assessment using the information obtained in the previous analysis to better clarify the mechanisms behind the increases in vulnerable road user and motorcycle severe injury crashes and fatalities. Risk assessment methods for this purpose may include root cause analysis, fault trees, and similar approaches, which will be leveraged to propose corresponding risk control options to reduce the likelihood and severity of crash events. Because motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes happen across and within multiple jurisdictions in Minnesota, risk control options will be developed with multiple agencies in mind, including statewide agencies, local jurisdictions, and community members. To counter the plateau or rise in recent VRU and motorcyclist injuries, we must urgently focus on reducing fatalities among pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists.