iRAP works with partners to eliminate high-risk roads within the Safe System, but our Training and Accreditation Manager Franco Azzato recently presented as a technical expert to the Uruguayan Parliament on the lifesaving potential of airbag vests for motorcyclists. He informed discussions on proposed legislation that would make it mandatory for employers to provide them for workers who use motorcycles as part of their daily job, such as delivery riders and fleet operators.

According to data from the National Road Safety Unit (UNASEV), motorcyclists represent 49 per cent of those killed in road crashes in Uruguay, and 65 per cent of people injured.

Mr Azzato presented to the Chamber of Deputies on May 22 and provided a detailed technical explanation of the functionality and safety benefits of motorcycle airbag systems:

• Citing MAPFRE (2021), he noted that 24 per cent of fatal injuries in motorcycle crashes affect the thoracic region – not the head. While helmets are indispensable, they do not offer full-body protection.
• Motorcycles lack passive safety systems such as seat belts or built-in airbags and as a result, motorcyclists are much more vulnerable to impact forces and energy transfer in the event of a crash.
• Airbag vests reduce the deceleration forces experienced by critical areas of the torso during a crash. By slowing down the impact more progressively, they help minimize trauma to the chest and back. Airbag vests also stabilize the neck area in coordination with the helmet, helping to prevent cervical whiplash.
• The implementation of protective vests can yield results immediately. The technology is now readily available and accessible, but legislation must also require adherence to certified product safety standards.

Mr Azzato’s work at iRAP is complementary in the space with iRAP Star Ratings providing an objective measure of the level of safety ‘built in’ to the road infrastructure for motorcyclists. A 1-star road is the least safe, whilst a 5-star road is the safest. As part of an iRAP assessment, Safer Road Investment Plans can be generated to specifically identify and prioritise evidence-based infrastructure improvements to enhance motorcyclist safety.

Dedicated motorcycle lanes, road alignment, skid resistance and surface hazards, overtaking provision and roadside hazards are all examples of infrastructure elements which can impact safety.

To learn more about improving motorcyclist safety:

• See iRAP’s interactive Powered Two Wheelers and Road Infrastructure Safety Report which includes data for almost 500,000km of roads that have flows of Powered Two-wheelers (PTWs) in more than 80 countries here. The report enables users to filter the data by country, region, area type, flow and speed.
• Explore how safe our roads (at a global and country level) are for motorcyclists using iRAP’s Safety Insights Explorer here.
• Compare the cost rating and effectiveness of different infrastructure countermeasures for motorcyclists in the iRAP Toolkit here.

Mr Azzato holds a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the University of Montevideo, and prior to joining iRAP, advised the Inter-American Development Bank on motorcyclist safety. View his published work here.