Agency wants anti-lock brakes on new U.S. road motorcycles
A federal safety agency is recommending that all new motorcycles built for road use in the U.S. have anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control as standard equipment.
The National Transportation Safety Board voted 5-0 this week to make the recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has authority to impose regulations. NHTSA wouldn’t answer specific questions about the recommendations but said in a statement that it takes a “data-driven, fact-based approach” to vehicle safety and will take action as warranted. During a public hearing this week, the NTSB said while the technology is required on passenger cars, it has lagged for motorcycles and requiring it would save lives. The agency said 5,286 motorcyclists were killed on U.S. roads in 2016, the last year for which statistics are available. “Riders need more time to react. They need motorcycles that perform better in a potential emergency,” NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt said after the recommendations were approved, noting the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety determined anti-lock brakes could reduce motorcycle fatalities by 31 per cent. “That is a sizable safety benefit that the U.S. is leaving on the table, leaving on the pavement, actually,” he said.
Anti-lock brakes have been required in U.S. passenger cars since 2000, while electronic stability control has been required since the 2012 model year. Anti-lock brakes pump many times per second to stop wheels from locking up and skidding. Electronic stability control is more advanced, applying brakes and power to the wheels to keep a vehicle stable, especially when on a curve.
The board decided that electronic stability control should be studied and performance standards adopted before the technology is made standard on motorcycles. Eric Emery, the NTSB’s Safety Research Division chief, said anti-lock brakes would allow riders to use maximum braking force without fear of the wheels locking up and skidding, improving the chances of keeping control of bikes in an emergency. Motorcyclists have the highest risk of death of all types of motor vehicles, according to the NTSB.