Examining the Effects of Motorcyclist Risk Behavior and Protective Behavior on Motorcycle Crash Involvement

(1) Background: Motorcyclists remain disproportionately represented in road-traffic fatalities and serious injuries worldwide, yet the behavioral factors associated with their crash involvement are still incompletely understood. (2) Methods: This study integrates several established behavioral theories—Human Information Processing (HIP), Reason’s Generic Error-Modelling System (GEMS), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)—into a single mixed-theory framework in order to examine simultaneously how risk behavior and protective behavior are associated with self-reported motorcycle crash involvement. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 2910 active motorcyclists using a Modified Motorcycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (MRBQ) to capture four dimensions of risk behavior. (3) Results: A second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed that the four risk dimensions load onto a single higher-order motorcyclist risk behavior construct, and the full measurement model demonstrated good reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Structural equation modeling (SEM) showed excellent fit. Motorcyclist risk behavior was positively and significantly associated with crash involvement, whereas protective behavior was negatively associated with it; because protective equipment mainly reduces injury severity rather than preventing crashes, this inverse relationship is interpreted as an indirect association rather than a direct reduction in crash occurrence, and both hypotheses were supported. (4) Conclusions: The findings support the value of integrating error-based and motivation-based theories when modeling motorcyclist safety and highlight the need for generationally tailored interventions that simultaneously reduce risky riding and promote consistent protective behavior.