It was ten years ago in the early aughts that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) called for a federal mandate that all street legal motorcycles come equipped with Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS.) At the time the evidence was quite compelling that motorcycles equipped with this type of safety feature were far less likely to be involved in a dangerous accident. Ten years later the numbers continue to back up this assertion by the IIHS.
A recent study looked at bikes manufactured between the years of 2013 and 2019 and found that those equipped with ABS were 22% less likely to be involved in a fatal motorcycle accident per every 10,000 registered vehicle years. This is a staggering decline and one that is sure to encourage more manufacturers to include ABS on their bikes moving forward.
While there were other previous studies that were cited as evidence of the need for a federal mandate which were released in 2011 and 2013 that showed a much larger disparity between bikes with and without ABS, it is likely that the reason for this is that the most-recent study examined a wider variety of bikes for the impact the new braking systems had on the fatality rates.
The United States federal government has not formally required manufacturers to include ABS on all motorcycles that will be used for driving on the road, the IIHS has formally petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to make this a mandate. There are other countries worldwide that have made this a mandate as well as the European Union (EU.)
While no U.S. federal mandate formally exists, the technology has become increasingly popular for manufacturers to include as a standard safety feature on their bikes. In 2020, more than half of all bikes sold in the United States included ABS. Without a federal mandate it will be incumbent on manufacturers to include this braking system on their bikes. If they do, they will undoubtedly decrease the number of Connecticut motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities.
If you love riding your motorcycle but are riding one without ABS and are injured you may need an attorney to review your case and work with you to protect your interests from the insurance companies. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will work with you.
