Insurance safety group sees ABS as money, life saver

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) based in Arlington, has released findings that indicated anti-lock brakes on motorcycles greatly reduce accidents.

The findings, released at the start of April, indicate that motorcycles with ABS are 37 percent less likely to be in a fatal crash. An affiliated study group, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found that a study of insurance claims filed for damage to motorcycles backed up the IIHS study.

“Crash avoidance technology like motorcycle [ABS] is especially important because more people are taking up riding and more are dying in crashes,” the IIHS states. “The upswing in motorcyclist deaths comes amid record lows for fatalities in car crashes, prompting the Institute and HLDI to look harder at measures to stem motorcyclist deaths.”

“It's a troubling trend,” Anne McCartt, IIHS senior vice president for research said in a prepared statement. “No one wants to begrudge motorcyclists the opportunity to ride for fun or to get around town on a bike. As the number of new riders continues to increase, though, it’s becoming more important than ever to lower the crash risk.”

In studying data from 2003 to 2008, the insurance group found riders of ABS-equipped bikes registered 30 percent fewer claim frequencies than riders of non-ABS scoots. Bodily injury liability coverage claims were 33 percent lower.

ABS adds about $1,000 to the cost of a bike, when a model offers it as an option. Many touring bikes offer ABS as standard equipment.

The finding echo similar results that the institute announced in 2008.