LUMOS Study Launches: What DVR and ifz Want to Learn From Motorcyclists

• LUMOS stands for LangzeitUntersuchung MOtorradSicherheit (Long-term Study on Motorcycle Safety) and is set to be repeated every four years
• The project is led by the German Road Safety Council (DVR) and the Institute for Two-Wheeler Safety (ifz)
• Initial results are expected in spring 2027

According to the organizations involved, more than seven million motorized two-wheelers are registered in Germany. They are no longer used solely for leisure but increasingly for daily commuting as well. Against this backdrop, DVR and ifz aim to establish a robust data foundation with LUMOS that will serve road safety efforts in the long term. The project thus joins the ongoing discussion about motorcycle safety in Germany, which in recent years has been accompanied by campaigns, training programs, and research initiatives.

What Is the LUMOS Study and Who Is Behind It?

LUMOS is a joint long-term study by the German Road Safety Council and the Institute for Two-Wheeler Safety on the development of motorcycle safety in Germany. The acronym stands for LangzeitUntersuchung MOtorradSicherheit. Both organizations pursue the goal of systematically capturing the safety awareness and attitudes of scooter and motorcycle riders over extended periods. The series builds on earlier ifz studies on motorcycle safety, such as one from 2006, and is intended to be continued on a regular basis going forward.

How Is the Study Conducted?

At the heart of LUMOS are online surveys of motorcycle and scooter riders, repeated at four-year intervals. The surveys examine attitudes toward safety issues, risk perception, and actual behavior in traffic, among other topics. Through regular repetition at the same interval, changes can be documented over the years. From these developments, the researchers aim to derive starting points for targeted prevention measures.

Why Do DVR and ifz Need New Data on Motorcycle Safety?

According to DVR and ifz, there remains a need for reliable data on the safety behavior of motorized two-wheeler users in order to close existing knowledge gaps. The kind of insights such surveys can deliver is illustrated by a finding from previous ifz studies on the wearing of protective clothing. The rates at which riders wear motorcycle jackets and trousers have risen significantly in recent years. While high temperatures might suggest that heat leads many riders to compromise on protective gear, the data point to a different and more important factor: the length of the distance ridden. The evaluation states: “The influence of trip length on the clothing-wearing behavior of motorcycle riders is approximately twice as great as the influence of outside temperature.” Riders are more willing to wear full protective gear on longer tours than on short rides in the immediate vicinity. It is precisely these kinds of patterns that LUMOS intends to track over longer periods in the future.

When Will the First Results Be Available?

The initial results of the study are expected in spring 2027. Since the surveys are to be repeated every four years thereafter, a continuous data series will emerge over time. This will allow not only snapshots to be created but also long-term trends in safety behavior to be identified, which can serve as a basis for further road safety efforts.

DVR Forum in June Puts Two-Wheeler Safety in the Spotlight

In parallel with the launch of LUMOS, the upcoming DVR Forum is also dedicated to this topic. Under the title “Safely on the Move — on Two Wheels Through City and Countryside,” experts will meet on June 25, 2026 in Berlin. On the agenda are prevention concepts, requirements for traffic and infrastructure planning, and technical standards for motorized two-wheelers, bicycles, and cargo bikes. In addition, the forum will address questions of traffic behavior and safety in mixed traffic, where different road users share the same space.

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