The MSF has announced that its twice-a-decade conference will be held in Long Beach, California in March 2006.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has announced that it will host the first of two 2006 International Motorcycle Safety Conferences during the week of March 26 in Long Beach, California. This conference will be a forum to present new motorcycle-safety research "from a variety of perspectives" falling under the "The Human Element" title of the conference. It also a chance to hear about the successof various safety programs, including training, countermeasures, legislative measures and other systems.
These conferences are held every five years in pairs, one hosted by the MSF in the United States and the second hosted by Germany's Institute for Motorcycle Safety (Institut fur Zweiradsicherheit, ifz) in Europe. The U.S. sessions deal with the human-factors side of motorcycle safety; the German conference addresses other considerations, such as the environment and technological issues. The U.S. event will also look at initiatives related to the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety (a cooperative project sponsored by the MSF and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and an update on MSF Rider Training Curricula
The MSF has has issued a call for papers dealing with the topics of the conference—research, human factors, and countermeasures. If you would like to participate, you can find links to do so on the MSF web page with the conference announcement. When it knows how many papers will be presented, it will announce a final schedule.
The complete MSF announcement follows.
IRVINE, Calif., May 19, 2005 - The world's foremost two-wheel experts will convene at a special forum to review and discuss the latest research in motorcycle safety. The 2006 International Motorcycle Safety Conference, coming to Southern California in March, will feature presentations from a variety of research perspectives related to motorcycle safety. Presentations and poster sessions will feature representatives from notable public and private agencies and institutions, such as traffic safety organizations, research laboratories, university research programs, education and training entities, enforcement and engineering communities, as well as the industry itself. Highlighted will be the critically important research efforts, countermeasures and initiatives that contribute to improving motorcycle safety.
The conference, titled "The Human Element," is sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and co-sponsored by the German Institute for Motorcycle Safety (ifz, Institut fur Zweiradsicherheit). This is the first of two international conferences slated for 2006 and will focus on the human factors involved in motorcycle safety. The first gathering will be held the week of March 26 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Long Beach, Calif., with exact dates still to be announced. The agenda will be based on the number of proposals selected for presentation.
"The real key to motorcycle safety, the human element, is the title of our conference," said MSF President Tim Buche. "In the automotive world, there is immense focus on technology and crash-testing, with relatively little public mention about improving driver skills and safety strategies. With motorcycles, it's the opposite. While safety gear, chassis, tires and brakes all have improved on the technologically advanced motorcycles available today, and have important roles to play, it's still the rider and other roadway users that make the greater difference in motorcycle safety. Sound research is used to sharpen the focus of the efforts of all who support an increasingly safe environment for riders. This is where we direct our efforts and attention, with national safety training programs, and with this forum."
Topical areas for "The Human Element" include:
Research and Studies
Motorcycle Crash AnalysisInjury and Fatality StatisticsLegislative UpdatesRider Education StatisticsImpaired Rider ResearchHuman FactorsMotorcycle Rider Safety Attitudes on Training/Education, Impaired Riding, Conspicuity or Protective Apparel
Vision/Hazard PerceptionRider DemographicsCountermeasuresMotorcycle Rider Training and Education
Motorcycle Rider Training Program - Management and Customer Service, Evaluation and Quality AssuranceProtective GearConspicuityImpaired Riding ProgramsMotorcycle Operator Licensing - Graduated or Tiered Licensing Programs and EvaluationPublic Information and Education - Motorist AwarenessLaw EnforcementOther important matters to be addressed include a review of initiatives related to the "National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety" (a cooperative project sponsored by the MSF and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and an update on MSF Rider Training Curricula and other Training Techniques.
The MSF has announced a call for papers for presentation at the Long Beach conference. The MSF is reaching out to the motorcycle industry, universities, local, national and international government agencies, rider organizations, and professionals from the traffic safety and rider education and training communities. Abstracts up to 500 words are due at the MSF by July 15 and authors will be notified of acceptance by Sept. 15. Completed papers will be due by January 9, 2006. The Call for Papers brochure and application form are available online at www.msf-usa.org.
The last International Motorcycle Safety Conference held in the United States took place in 2001. Nearly 400 participants from 21 countries and 47 states attended.
The follow-up to the Long Beach conference is slated for Fall 2006 in Germany. "Safety, Environment, Future" will focus on accident research, safety technology, environmental aspects, the rider, vehicle and traffic behavior, and trends in the development of motorcycles.
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