Public Discussion Paper released on Mandatory Motorcycle ABS.
ABS brakes are now mandatory on all new bike models sold into the European Union and now Australian authorities are looking at whether we should follow-suit.
It’s refreshing to see that Australian authorities are not just considering making ABS mandatory on Australian motorcycles but they are asking the community for their thoughts on the proposal.
The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, the federal government department responsible for the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), has released a discussion paper and is asking for public comment.
The Department will then prepare a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for the adoption of ABS for new motorcycles in Australia.
In May 2014, the Department in partnership with VicRoads commissioned research into the effectiveness of ABS on motorcycles towards reducing road trauma in Australia.
In October last year, Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) published the results of that research.
The research found that for motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125cc or greater, ABS resulted in a 33% reduction of all injuries in sensitive crash types and a 39% reduction in severe injuries in these crashes. These findings were in line with other published international results.
The Department has now provided the discussion paper and invited comment on the research and its context. This will help to draw out relevant issues to shape the RIS.
The RIS process itself will also be subject to public comment before any decision is made by the Government.
The discussion paper can be found here.
The discussion paper can be found here Submissions should be emailed to: standards@infrastructure.gov.au by the 26th February 2016.