ABS on motorcycles “right up there with wearing a helmet”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says a new major study strengthens the argument for motorcycle antilock braking systems (ABS).

Nearly a decade after the organization first called for a federal mandate requiring street-legal motorcycles to be equipped with ABS, a new study – the largest of its kind – reveals data in favor of the lifesaving technology.

Examining fatal crash rates for 65 motorcycle models offering ABS as an option over 2013-19, the researchers found that bikes equipped with the feature were involved in 22 percent fewer fatal crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is equal to one motorcycle registered for one year.

“We have known that ABS saves lives and have been saying it should be mandatory for 10 years now,” said IIHS Director of Statistical Services Eric Teoh, the author of the study.

“This study is our most expansive one yet on the topic and confirms the importance of this feature.”

He added: “The bottom line is that 22 percent is a very big effect. When it comes to decisions riders can make to protect themselves, choosing ABS is right up there with wearing a helmet.”