C HAPTER 4 C ONSUMER CONSULTATIONS AND FURTHER RESEARCH
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY.
The period selected encompassed the ongoing testing program conducted by Ride magazine in the UK , but also marked the advent of programs about protective clothing quality and the European Standards, aimed at the motorcycle accessories industry in Australia and New Zealand (ACC 2004, de Rome 2004, MAA 2005). These initiatives included:
A. In 2003, the results of a study funded by the MAA into motorcycle protective clothing, was released and the finding promoted through the Motorcycle Council of NSW (MCC) website and community activities such as Motorcycle Awareness Week (de Rome 2003). B. In 2004, in New Zealand the ACC undertook a major program to address the increasing numbers of motorcycle casualties. The program, called ‘Ride for ever’, included a campaign to provide riders with information about the benefits of wearing protective clothing. This included a website providing information about choosing appropriate products. The campaign also targeted the industry and provided hard cover books containing detailed information about the features of effective protective clothing referenced to the European Standards. C. In Australia in May 2005, a seminar funded by the MAA was conducted for the motorcycle accessories industry. The focus of the seminar was to alert the industry to the release of the European standards and the implications this may have for their businesses. As a result of the seminar a working group was formed to examine options for establishing an industry based rating scheme (de Rome et al. 2005). However, despite a number of
subsequent meetings being held no further progress was achieved.
D. In 2006, VicRoads and the TAC commissioned a report into the potential for establishing a rating scheme for protective clothing (Haworth et al. 2006). The authors concluded that a star rating system, whether a voluntary industry system or an independent system, had the potential to provide such information to consumers and contribute to
reductions in the severity of injury to riders. Since that time the TAC has undertaken further work investigating the potential for such a scheme through consultation and research with the industry and with motorcyclists. At the current time, pilot tests are being conducted to assess the feasibility of running a motorcycle protective clothing consumer awareness program based on the laboratory testing of garments according to the European Standards. AIMS AND METHOD
The aim of the current study was to assess whether there were any changes in the use of safety as a selling point for motorcycle clothing since the release of the standards for
protective clothing in Europe (1998-2003), and following the initiatives to raise awareness of the protective clothing standards in Australia and New Zealand.
The contents of six road riding motorcycle magazines from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia in 2004 were compared with the corresponding issues in 2011. A total of 452 clothing advertisements were analysed to establish the proportion of advertisements using safety/injury protection or impact protection as a selling point compared to those referring to non-safety factors such as comfort, weather protection and style. Key words for impact protection included but were not limited to references to CE marked impact
protectors. RESULTS
Overall the usage of safety words in advertisements increased from 31% to 51%, (p<0.0001) and references to impact protection increased from 18% to 41%, (p< 0.0001). Between countries there was also a significant increase in the proportion of advertisements using
Chapter 4 – Consumer consultations and further research 60 safety words in Australia (16% vs 30%, p=0.03) and the UK (44% vs 62%, p=0.03). There was no comparative increase in New Zealand, but the baseline in 2004 was substantially higher than either UK or Australia (See Table 4.3).
Table 4.3 Motorcycle clothing advertisements using injury protection as a selling point in UK, NZ and Australia 2004 compared to 2011
Safety key words Not used Used P value Total
2004 Aus 124 (84%) 24 (16%) 148 NZ 19 (40%) 29 (60%) 48 UK 32 (56%) 25 (44%) 57 All countries 175 (69%) 78 (31%) 253 2011 Aus 47 (70%) 20 (30%) 0.03 67 NZ 7 (37%) 12 (63%) NS 19 UK 43 (38%) 70 (62%) 0.03 113 All countries 97 (49%) 102 (51%) <0.0001 199 Total 272 180 452
There was also a significant increase in references to impact protection in advertisements in the UK, but not in either Australia or New Zealand (see Table 2). Comparison between countries for 2011 found that Australian magazines had a relatively lower proportion of advertisements using safety or impact protection than either New Zealand (p<0.01) or the UK (p<0.0001). There were no significant differences between New Zealand and UK.
Table 4.4. Motorcycle clothing advertisements using impact protection as a selling point in UK, NZ and Australia 2004 compared to 2011
Impact protection Not used Used P value Total 2004 Aus 133 (90%) 15 (10%) 148 NZ 32 (67%) 16 (33%) 48 UK 43 (75%) 14 (25%) 57 All countries 208(82%) 45(18%) 253 2011 Aus 55 (82%) 12 (18%) 0.12 67 NZ 9 (47%) 10 (53%) 0.16 19 UK 54 (48%) 59 (52%) 0.001 113 All countries 118 (59%) 81(41%) <0.0001 199 Total 326 126 452
Conclusions
The research and consultants conducted provide encouraging evidence of rider support for the provision of evidence based information about the effectiveness of protective clothing
establish the credibility of the scheme. In particular this should focus on the independent scientific evidence base of the ratings. This would appear to be essential to counter the apparent suspicion of information provided by road safety agencies in preference for the personal opinions of other riders and sales information provided by manufacturers.
There are also indications of likely industry cooperation provided the implementation process takes accounts of the potential risks for the industry which have been identified. In particular, removal of GST from the sale of accredited safety equipment could be an effective incentive. As Spaulding found, industry is unlikely to lead change that is perceived to constitute a risk to business, but there is evidence from other product areas that as consumers become better informed, industries will respond to changing demand. The observed changes in the use of injury protection as a selling point in motorcycle clothing advertisements, particularly in UK, may be a sign of the industry responding to market demand. While this should not be taking to imply any causal links between increasing consumer awareness and particular programs (e.g Ride) or campaigns to raise awareness of performance quality issues. It is however worth noting that following the MAA seminar in 2005 an Australian company, Drag'in Jeans, undertook to adopt the EU standards and have since achieved CE certification for one line of products.
References
ACC, 2004. Ride for ever, http://www.rideforever.co.nz/gear/choosing-the-right-gear/. In: de Rome, L. ed. Accident Compensation Commission, Wellington, NZ.
Currie Communications, 2009. Motorcycle protective clothing communications audit: Final report. VicRoads Melbourne.
de Rome, L., 2004. Motorcycle protective clothing,
http://roadsafety.mccofnsw.org.au/a/75.html. Motorcycle Council of NSW, Sydney, Australia.
de Rome, L., Stanford, G., Wood, B., 2005. Final report on gearing up a seminar on
motorcycle protective clothing and consumer protection in Australia Motorcycle Council of NSW, Sydney.
de Rome, L., Stanford, G. & Wood, B., 2003. Motorcycle protective clothing. Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference http://trid.trb.org/view.aspx?id=706134. Sydney, NSW.
Haworth, N., de Rome, L., Rowden, P., 2006. Motorcycle protective clothing: Stage 1 review of literature and development of a safety ‘star rating’ system (rsd-0299). A report to VicRoads. In: Queensland, C.-Q.T.C.F.A.R.R.S. ed. Vicroads, Melbourne.
MAA, 2005. Gearing up - motorcycle protective clothing - May 2005,
http://roadsafety.mccofnsw.org.au/a/107.html. Motor Accidents Authority, Sydney, Australia.
Chapter 5 – Options for cost benefit analysis of increased usage of protective clothing 62