Motorcycle Safety

Motorcyclists account for almost 14% of road deaths so far this year, despite making up less than 2% of the total vehicle fleet.

The RSA and An Garda Síochána are asking riders 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 provisional analysis of motorcycle and pillion passenger deaths by An Garda Síochána shows that almost four out of five fatal motorcycle collisions since 2011 involved another vehicle.

The four most common types of collision involving motorcyclists and other vehicles were:

1) A motorcyclist overtaking another vehicle turning right, resulting in the motorcyclist colliding head-on into the side of the turning vehicle.

2) A motorcyclist colliding head-on with an oncoming vehicle while the motorcycle was overtaking a vehicle.

3) A motorcyclist losing control while taking a corner and crossing into the path of an oncoming vehicle, resulting in a head-on collision.

4) Another vehicle turning or driving through a junction/joining a main road from a minor road and colliding with a motorcyclist.

The Garda analysis also indicates that:

The majority of motorcycles involved in a fatal collision were larger CC bikes, with over three-quarters (79%) involving a bike over 599cc. Nearly all the motorcyclists killed were males – 44 of the 46 (96%).

Two age groups in particular feature in motorcycle fatalities: 26-30 (32%) and 40-50 (18%).

More than half (52%) of the fatal collisions involving a motorcyclist occurred on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, typically from midday to 6pm
.