Risk for motorcyclists in a busy metropolitan city: The example of Tel Aviv

Background: The proportion of motorcyclists injured in road accidents in Israel is larger than their proportion among road users. Objectives: To identify factors contributing to the risk of injury for motorcyclists as compared to drivers of other motor vehicles. Methods: We retrieved and analyzed National Trauma Registry data on drivers, aged 16 and above, who were involved in traffic accidents and hospitalized between 1 January 1997 and 30 June 2003. Results: The study group comprised 10,967 patients: 3,055 (28%) were motorcyclists and 7,912 (72%) were drivers of other motor vehicles. A multiple logistic regression revealed that Tel Aviv, the busiest metropolitan city in Israel, is a risk for motorcycle injury as compared to other regions; males have an increased risk compared to females; and age is a protecting factor since the risk of injury as a motorcyclist decreases as age increases. Nevertheless , the population of injured motorcyclists in Tel Aviv was significantly older (mean age 32.5 years vs. 28.6 elsewhere; t-test P<0.0001). Twenty percent (n=156) of the injured motorcyclists in Tel Aviv were injured while working, compared to 9.5% (n=217) in other regions (chi-square P<0.0001). Motorcycle injuries in Tel Aviv were of lower severity (7.7% vs. 16.4% according to the Injury Severity Scale 16+, χ² P<0.0001), and had lower inpatient death rates (1.2% vs. 2.5%, χ² P=0.001). Conclusions: Tel Aviv is a risk for motorcycle injury compared to other regions, males have an increased risk compared to females, and age is a protecting factor. The proportion of motorcyclists in Tel Aviv injured while working is double that in other regions.