An internationally recognised program that has tested and rated more than 700 items of motorcycle gear to help keep riders safe has been funded for a further three years by the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Road Safety Melissa Horne today announced that the MotoCAP program will receive $378,000 from the Labor Government, through its Motorcycle Safety Levy, to help continue its significant research.
MotoCAP conducts comprehensive tests at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus in Geelong to determine scientifically proven safety ratings to help riders choose the best gear.
The program has also recently developed a world-first test, following $120,000 of separate levy funding, to determine how motorcycle garments stand up to the harsher, chip-sealed roads across rural Victoria.
The innovative new test found that chip-sealed roads are more than four times more abrasive than asphalt, meaning riders in regional areas need more protective gear than city riders. Road safety experts in the United Kingdom have shown interest in the new test, given the high number of chip-sealed roads on their network.
The Motorcycle Safety Levy has also contributed $105,000 towards a new guide for manufacturers to improve the design and fabrication of motorcycle clothing, advising on features such as abrasion-resistant materials, seam strength and impact protectors for vulnerable parts of the body.
MotoCAP, which marks its five-year milestone this month, has released its latest round of rated gear on its website, bringing the total to 702 items tested and rated in that time.
Improving the safety of Victorian motorcyclists is a key priority of the State’s Road Safety Strategy to halve road deaths and significantly reduce serious injuries by 2030, setting the state on a path to zero road deaths by 2050.
Since the Motorcycle Safety Levy was introduced in Victoria in 2002, more than $100 million has been invested in safety projects for motorcyclists, including infrastructure, education and training, enforcement, and enhanced data collection and analysis initiatives.
Find out how different gear compares at motocap.com.au
As stated by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne
“Saving riders’ lives and preventing serious injuries remains a critical road safety challenge as motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injuries than other motorists.
“We urge all motorcyclists across Victoria to wear all the gear, all the time and to check the MotoCAP ratings.”
As stated by Road Safety Victoria Executive Director Marcelo Vidales
“The Motorcycle Safety Levy is contributing to projects that are making a tangible difference to the safety of riders, and that includes the innovative work by MotoCAP.”
As stated by ARC Research Hub for Future Fibres Director Professor Joselito Razal
“The Deakin-led team was the first to provide scientific knowledge on what happens to a rider’s clothing during a crash, and ongoing research will build important insights to create smarter technologies that keep our communities safe.”
“Deakin is very proud to share this knowledge with riders, protective clothing manufacturers, governments and road designers in order to reduce injury severity and fatalities in motorcycle crashes worldwide.”
