Hugh F. "Harry" Hurt Jr. Passes at 81

By Roger Wiles #32797. MotoSafe Editor

            The world of motorcycling has lost one of the world's most influential advocates for rider education and safer riding. Dr. Hugh F. "Harry" Hurt Jr. died at age 81 Sunday, November 29^th, 2009 at Pomona Valley Hospital, Pomona CA of a heart attack while hospitalized for back surgery.

                Dr. Hurt became the project leader of the ground-breaking Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, Volume 1: Technical Report, conducted at University of Southern California Traffic Safety Center in the late 1970s. Known as the "Hurt Report," this extensive and detailed study of more than 900 motorcycle crashes generated more than four dozen effective crash-prediction and -prevention measures that have become the basis for motorcycle-rider education in North America, and around the world.

            In 2008, the BMW MOA Foundation (www.bmwmoafoundation.org) awarded Hurt with one of its annual Motorcycling Excellence Awards for his many contributions to safer motorcycling. In his acceptance comments, Dr. Hurt expressed serious concern about the efficacy and validity of the current motorcycle crash-causation study underway at a university in Oklahoma. Hurt's comments are available for view on the Foundation's website; click http://www.bmwmoafoundation.org/projects/HurtComments.html. MotoSafe urges readers to think about Dr. Hurt's thoughts; these are some of his latest views about the hazards of mixing research and government, to our detriment as motorcyclists.

Hurt is survived by his wife, two sons, three daughters and ten grandchildren. The moto-universe is greatly indebted to Harry Hurt and his family. Thank you.