Italy – Riders throughout Europe organise themselves to save motorcyclists from injury or death when they crash and impact crash barriers by mobilising to have Motorcycle Protection Systems (MPS) – underrun guard rails fitted to crash barriers at identified crash barrier sites. In this case, Italy.
Recently we reported on the not for non-profit organization MEHRSi from Germany which has the aim to significantly reduce the death rate and the degree of injury among motorcyclists/cyclists by having the “safety barriers” of all curves, that are dangerous for motorcyclists, throughout Germany equipped with underrun protection.
This time it is the turn of Italian riders at the MotorLab Idee in Movimento association who have been active since 2015 and have been describe as, “travellers and dreamers, bikers”, in raising funds, donations from individuals, and support from the partners of their project to fit a version of Motorcycle Protection Systems (MPS) devices in their road infrastructure.
“Dispositivi Salva Motociclisti” – DSM
The MotorLab – Idee in Movimento project was officially founded in 2018 with the aim to compensate for the lack of public funds for ordinary and extraordinary maintenance of roads, and the provision of adequate motorcyclists protection, in the firm belief that “dispositivi salva motociclisti” – “devices save motorcyclists” (DSM) are in fact a real investment to safeguard the safety of the citizens of two-wheeled road users.
MotorLab also hold the view that the fitting of motorcyclist-saving devices has a real reduction of social costs in the medium and long term (estimated cost per statistic for a single claim about €1,600,000) and health care costs in the short term. And in fact, since the beginning of the Association’s activity to date, three people have been saved, and 600 metres of motorcyclist-saving devices installed.
MotorLab say that, “Permanent deaths and disabilities following accidents near curves and guardrails are actually and unfortunately on the agenda. The statistics speak: 185 deaths on two wheels at national level in the months between June and August 2019 (source ASAPS): 4 times the victims of Ponte Morandi (Motorcycle Minds – Road viaduct in Genoa which collapsed in 2018). The application of the DSM actually increases the visibility of the edges of the roadways, and significantly reduces the severity of any impacts due to slipping, against the support posts of the guardrails by motorcyclists, scooterists and cyclists.”
With the MotorLab project it was possible to install the first motorbike-saving devices in the Bologna area in 2016 and subsequent years: when the project was launched, five curves of the Bologna area were immediately made safe, of which four were in the Municipality of Pianoro (SP58 and SP65) and one in Castel Del Rio. A total of 360 metres of curves covered by the DSM, and five interventions carried out in the Metropolitan City of Bologna.
MotorLab said, “In addition to these we should add the 6 curves in the Municipality of San Lazzaro for a total of a further 234 metres, made safe thanks to the close collaboration agreement in June 2019 which provides for the installation of the devices donated by Motorlab to the Municipality, which once again demonstrates sensitivity, intelligence and a broader vision of the potential of this project.”
Their latest project completed in October saw 234 metres at six different road sections of DMS fitted in the Bologna area, working closely with the local authorities in the Emilia-Romagna Region, Metropolitan city of Bologna, the Municipality of Bologna and the Municipality of San Lazzaro.
MotorLab – Italy – Crash barriers
MotorLab first contacted Motorcycle Minds after the International Conference On Road Safety For Motorcyclists – being held in Pereto, Italy (near Rome) in September 2019 where Elaine from Motorcycle Minds in her role as part of a team researching the Dynamics of Motorcycle Crashes circulated early findings of date from a survey regarding riders crashing with roadside restraint barriers.
Since then MotorLab have been in communication, giving in depth details, regarding their project and thoughts on crash barriers and improvements for motorcyclists’ safety in Italy.
One such communication is from – Professor Marco Anghileri, Engineer of the Dip. di Scienze e Tecnologie Aerospaziali Politecnico di Milano the designer of the system of motorcyclist protection system – DR 46 – that is installed via MotorLab.
“DR46 protects motorcyclists from the lateral impact against the road barriers. It consists of an empty body made of plastic material (polyethylene). The shape and the used material allow a plastic deformation and an air compression that partially redirect and absorb the crash against the bearing structure of the barrier – posts”
The professor writes:
“Barriers, which must perform the fundamental task of containing and redirecting a vehicle in the event of a collision, are certainly a potentially deadly obstacle for a motorcyclist but can now be equipped with systems that limit the consequences of a direct impact on the rider’s body .
This topic has been studied by the working groups of the CEN (European Community standardization body) which developed the CEN / TS 17342 standard which, through a series of impact tests carried out with anthropomorphic mannequins, assesses the ability to reduce risk of injury to the motorcyclist impacting against the barrier.
In recent years, various safety barriers and protection systems have been verified through the use of the aforementioned standard, but the installation on Italian roads has been, until a few months ago, entrusted to a few very laudable local initiatives such as the one covered by this day or autonomous choices of road managers.
Recently the Italian Ministry has finally issued a decree that regulates and requires the use of these devices on Italian roads both for new installations and for updates to existing ones.
The Decree requires, through an analysis of the geometry of the road, the installation of protections for motorcyclists in potentially dangerous areas but also indicates statistical criteria for extending the protections also to other areas.
Like all innovations, the new decree has received criticisms which, it is hoped, can be used for a possible revision, but there is no doubt that the desire to reduce the number of deaths for users of two wheels has certainly been demonstrated even if the road to travel is still very long.
The DR46 was born as a system adaptable to the most varied configurations, simple to install and to produce, not invasive and able to help an unfortunate motorcyclist who was about to impact against a safety barrier. The shape was chosen simply to have a profile able to guide the helmet and the body towards a stable trajectory near the ground. The material had been chosen to be sufficiently soft but able to withstand the impact of the human body. No other secrets. (Motorcycle Minds – It’s as simple as that),
I must say that this is the greatest satisfaction for a designer. Not only do you see your work turned into reality but the personal effect of its use”.
A Gift Can Save Many Lives
What it comes down to, is the collaboration of organised motorcyclists working with local authorities who have the foresight to listen to riders to make a difference with the issues that are of concern.
Mayor Isabella Conti, Municipality of San Lazzaro commenting to the equipping of the guardrail protections on the municipality roads, commented “MotorLab is a reality of motorcyclists dreamers and fighters. Their mission is generous and simple: save the life of the riders and make our streets safer.”
The Mayor further stated that, “In 2018, thanks to the collaboration between them (MotorLab) and the Municipality of San Lazzaro, we were mentioned as a case study in a US magazine because we had installed the first life-saving device in “Croara Road”. This wonderful collaboration has continued and today, thanks to the virtuous citizens of MotorLab, we have secured the most critical curves and roundabouts of our territory, installing 6 other motorcycle-saving devices. Thanks to the commitment of MotorLab and the many partners of Adotta un DSM, we can add an additional piece to the plan of interventions put in place to safeguard all road users.”
Fantastic “work” from MotorLab as they strive for their project to “Adopt a DSM” to be replicated at regional and national level in Italy.
We leave the last word to Antonio Morelli, “I am the father of a boy who lost his life against a guard rail for a trivial slip. I lost a child and nobody gives it back to me anymore. I decided to support the MotorLab project, securing the curves of Pianoro and those of San Lazzaro because I didn’t want any other father to pass what I went through. Contributing to safety and prevention should be a duty of every citizen, and of the State above all. And knowing that this little gesture of mine has already helped to save someone, repays me for so much suffering, and gives me energy to move forward”.
Original Sources – Information – Website – www.motorlab.it – Facebook – motorlabideeinmovimento
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