Motorcyclists Urged to Bike Safe This Summer

·         171 motorcyclists have been killed and 629 seriously injured since 2010

·         Summer is high risk for motorcyclists, especially Saturday and Sunday

·         Approved PPE, high visibility clothing and ’ease off the throttle’

·         Drivers need to look and look again for motorcyclists

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána are appealing to motorcycle riders to ‘Bike Safe’ as the risk to riders’ safety is set to increase over the summer months.

An examination of forensic collision investigation files published in 2016 by the RSA found that almost a third of motorcyclists involved in fatal collisions between 2008 and 2012 had consumed alcohol and that bikers speeding was a factor is almost half of all motorcyclist deaths.

While the majority of motorcycle riders are absolutely aware of their vulnerability when biking, some motorcyclists may not be so safety conscious. Younger riders on powerful machines need to appreciate the risk they face and take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety. The RSA study also found that half of the 80 motorcyclists deemed culpable for the collision were aged between 25 and 34 years old.

The message from the RSA and Gardai to these bikers is to never drink drive. You simply cannot control a motorbike if you are impaired from drinking alcohol. They are also being urged to ease off the throttle and keep within the speed limits.

Mr. Shane Ross, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, “Motorcycle riding is fun and challenging yet it requires very high levels of knowledge, skill, and understanding. A good motorcycle rider needs to have a healthy respect for the motorcycle they are riding and always demonstrate a socially responsible attitude. This way they can ensure their safety on the road. It’s also important for drivers to be on the lookout for motorcyclists especially in their blind spots when turning, overtaking and at junctions.”

Ms Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson, RSA, said “I want to thank the majority of bikers who are behaving responsibly on the road. However, there is a group who are riding motorbikes with no regard for their personal safety or the safety of others, and this is shown clearly following our examination of forensic investigation files of fatal collisions involving motorcyclists. Bikers who think it is ok to drink and or speed on the public road need to realise that you are giving all bikers a bad name. If you are not going to change your reckless behaviour then I would appeal for you to do it for the sake of your family and loved ones.”

Garda Commissioner Mr Donál Ó Cualáin said that “Motorcyclists are among our most vulnerable of road users because they have very little protection in the event of a crash. You can help reduce this vulnerability by taking some very simple steps. Wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and high visibility clothing to make yourself visible to other road-users plus ride with your dipped headlight on.

“Show restraint and reduce your speed, and never ever ride impaired. Over the coming months An Garda Síochána will engage with motorcyclists and use a mixture of educational and enforcement measures to reduce motorcycling casualties”

Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan, Roads Policing, An Garda Síochána added “This is not only a safety message for motorcyclists. Drivers need to look and look again for that motorcycle, especially when overtaking or turning right”.

Road users are also being urged to take extra care over the June Bank Holiday Weekend as figures show that 6 people died over the June Bank Holiday in 2017.  (See Table 1 below).

Drivers are reminded that the RSA and Applegreen have teamed up again to help drivers to tackle tiredness behind the wheel over the June Bank Holiday Weekend by providing free cups of coffee to drivers between 2pm and 8pm on Friday 1 June and Monday 4 June. Simply say ‘RSA’ to the till operator to avail of a free coffee.

Each Garda division will focus on motorcycle safety over the summer months through enforcement and education. Reducing casualties in this vulnerable road user category is a key element of the 2018 Roads Policing Plan. Motorcycles account for less than 2% of the national fleet but motorcycle fatalities account for between 12-14% of road fatalities annually.

Table 1: June Bank Holiday fatalities and serious injuries for all road users, 2010-2017*

*Please note: figures for 2015-2017 are provisional and are subject to change.

• There were 152 arrests on suspicion of driving under the influence over the June bank holiday 2017.

Table 2: Collisions where a motorcyclist was fatally or seriously injured 2007-2018*

*Please note: figures are provisional and subject to change. Note: there was a change in the injury data collection methodology from 2014 onwards; any trend comparison in injury numbers should be made with caution.

Table 3: Motorcyclist fatalities by county, 2010-2018*

*Please note: figures are provisional and subject to change. Note: all figures are inclusive of pillion passengers