Kajang, 28 August 2015 – Motorcycle fatality recorded as one of the highest road traffic deaths in the world. According to WHO in Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, motorized 2-3 wheelers make up 33% of road traffic deaths in South-East Asia region. Based on this record, the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) and MIROS PC3 collaborated with The Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS) to perform a demo crash test on motorcycle. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saiprasit Koetniyom, Head of Mechanical and Process Engineering Department, TGGS, the school aims to carry out post-crash test experiments in order to obtain data about accidents involving motorcycles. This is because there are a lot of modified motorcycles in Thailand so their project is to ensure the motorcyclists are safe on the road.

“Our main target is to perform experiments on the crashed motorcycles. We are not keen in developing simulations because the public has difficulty believing results generated by computer graphic as they think the data might have been exploited,” said Saiprasit. In terms of funding, our research will run parallel with Thai Road Foundation by conducting research related to collisions involving motorcycles.” He added that results from motorcycle crash test is imminent as WHO recently recommended for motorcycles in South-East Asia to be installed with child seats. This is mainly due to the number of motorcycles is more than passenger cars. Hence, TGGS would like to make sure that children are safe to ride in the child seat while riding a motorcycle.

The motorcycle demo tests were performed during the Kyowa Technology Day (18–20 August 2015) in conjunction with the launch of Kyowa’s load cell wall at MIROS PC3.

The crash test on the first day (18 August) was done by using a MATD Dummy, short for Motorcycle Anthropomorphic Testing Device (adult dummy), on the motorcycle and a P6 Dummy (6-year-old dummy) as rear passenger hit against a stationary vehicle. This scenario simulates a red-light running scenario. A similar scenario was also performed on the second day (19 August) but this time the P6 Dummy was placed in front of the adult dummy. The placement of the child in front of the rider reflects common behaviour of most motorcyclists in ASEAN countries.

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, former MIROS Director-General and currently professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Engineering when asked on the progress of MIROS PC3 lab said, “The investment on the crash lab will be very dramatic in terms of impact. Things have been moving so fast since the time I left MIROS. MIROS PC3 has made tremendous transformation from crash testing vehicles and now performing crash test on motorcycles. This is a new milestone for ASEAN NCAP and MIROS PC3. I consider motorcycle is a blue ocean strategy for both ASEAN NCAP and MIROS PC3 so they need to exploit on the crash test in order to learn more on how to increase the safety level of motorcyclists.” He also added that there are several methods to prevent motorcycle crash from happening. “Enforcement on illegal riding and use of safety helmet among riders are crucial in preventing accidents from occurring. Improve invisibility among motorcyclists is another method. This is where NCAP comes in by encouraging Blind Spot Technology fitment to be installed in vehicles so that drivers are able to see motorcyclists coming either from the rear or both sides of the car. Cooperation between engineering (NCAP) and enforcement is also important because the result will ultimately help improve the safety of road users. “

Farhan stressed that the long term plan to prevent motorcycle accident is attitude change. A new curriculum for motorcyclist has already been formed and pushed by the Road Transport Department in Malaysia. But due to unforeseen circumstances such as expensive fees, it is now halted. This new curriculum can possibly bring change to motorcyclists behaviour and inadvertently reduce the number of accidents involving motorcycles.

The motorcycle demo tests performed by ASEAN NCAP, MIROS PC3 and TGGS is a new milestone to vehicle safety. This is MIROS PC3 first motorcycle crash test, and they are still exploring and developing the best way of crash testing a motorcycle. With the combination of ASEAN NCAP, MIROS PC3 and TGGS, this crash test was made possible.