The Washington Post is running an obituary on Harry Hurt who passed away in Pomona, CA at age 81.

Mr Hurt was the principle author of two-wheeled safety’s most important report, the aptly named Hurt report. The report, published in 1981 followed a two year study of over 900 motorcycle accidents and the events that led up to them in Los Angeles.

The report continues to this day to inform motorcycle and scooter safety initiatives around the country.

Among the study’s major findings were that speed was not a factor in most crashes; that helmets were effective in preventing brain injuries and deaths; and that two-thirds of motorcycle crashes involved cars and two-thirds of those accidents occurred when a car driver failed to see the motorcycle and violated the motorcyclist’s right of way.

Mr. Hurt was an avid two-wheeler himself and owned and rode many bikes which, according to his wife, he never crashed.

Head on over to The Washington Post to read more. You can learn more about the Hurt Report here.

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