THE Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána have issued an appeal to motorcyclists, scooter and moped users to bike safely following an almost 70% rise in motorcycle rider fatalities in 2013 compared to the previous year.
The increase represents an increase of 16 to 27 fatalities. To date this year, two motorcyclists have died on Irish roads.
The appeal is being made ahead of the May Bank Holiday Weekend, as both the RSA, and gardaí are extremely concerned that the high casualty rate among motorcyclists could be repeated this summer. There were almost as many motorcyclists as pedestrians killed in 2013, a trend not previously observed, as pedestrian fatalities have typically been significantly higher than motorcyclist fatalities to date.
Motorcycle riders are being asked to be aware of their vulnerability on the roads, as research shows that motorcyclists are three times more likely to be killed on Irish roads than in any other EU country.
A collision with a car ahead turning right was a particular problem resulting in nine fatalities alone last year. The vast majority of motorcycle fatalities last year took place in the Dublin and greater Dublin area (Counties Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow).
In 16 of 22 fatalities, the motorcyclist was familiar with the local area. Also, in the majority of cases the weather was dry, the road surface was also dry, and the conditions were daylight with good visibility.
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar said,“Riding a motorbike can be an incredible experience and it gives a great sense of freedom. But motorcyclists are also among the most vulnerable road users. Going full throttle represents a danger to others, and above all to yourself. Your attitude is absolutely critical in determining the likelihood of having a crash, so be bike safe this summer.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.