MULTIPLE CONTINENTS REPRESENTED AT 2013 MSF/IFZ INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY CONFERENCE
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 5, 2013 – The 2013 Motorcycle Safety Foundation/ifz International Motorcycle Safety Conference saw four continents, 23 countries and 39 US States, plus the District of Columbia, represented as motorcycle safety experts came together to share ideas and research data in an effort to improve motorcycling safety. The first safety conference of its kind in the United States since 2006, IMSC was held October 16 and 17 and coincided with the inaugural American International Motorcycle Expo, October 16 through 20, in Orlando, Fla.
Titled “The Human Element: The Way Forward,” the conference was jointly sponsored by the MSF and the German Institute for Motorcycle Safety (ifz, Institut fur Zweiradsicherheit). The event included researchers from diverse backgrounds and who addressed topics in the following categories: Safety Technology And Initiatives, Rider Characteristics, Crash Analysis and Personal Protective Equipment. Researchers came from the United States, Germany, Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden.
“We are honored to have hosted such a successful international safety event as the 2013 MSF/ifz International Motorcycle Safety Conference,” said MSF Chairman Russ Brenan. “And we wish to extend our deepest gratitude to the ifz and its Director, Achim Kuschefski, for helping making this conference possible.”
MSF President Tim Buche said, “Our goal was to provide a forum that would assist industry, government, academic institutions and research organizations in devising and improving countermeasures to enhance the safety of all motorcyclists, including rider training and licensing, protective gear, advanced motorcycle technology, education of non-motorcyclists, and identifying avenues for further research. We feel that we more than achieved those aims with IMSC.”
With “The Human Element: The Way Forward” focusing on human factors in relation to motorcyclist safety, the MSF presented current updates on three of its most relevant projects: The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study, the MSF/NHTSA Discovery Project and the update to the Basic RiderCourse. The latter is the premier novice rider training curriculum in the U.S. and now incorporates the first-ever MSF eCourse. Two panel discussions were also held: “Research: Choices, Values, and Limitations of Distinct Methodologies” and “Research: Practical Uses and Evolving Needs of Research ‘Consumers’.”
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF® have been recognized worldwide since 1973.
The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourse nearest you, visitwww.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.