Motorcycle safety

We want motorcyclists to recognise their vulnerability and responsibility to themselves and their families to ride safely. Motorcyclists have less protection than a car driver if involved in a collision. So, if something goes wrong, regardless of who is at fault, the consequences can be catastrophic.

The campaign targets the minority of motorcyclists who don't seem to be slowing down on our roads. They are male, typically 25-34 years of age. 

No one likes being told what to do. But sometimes you have to listen.

Ease off the throttle and keep within the speed limit.

Facts

Data indicates that:

• motorcycles made up 1.5% of all vehicles registered in Ireland in 2019
• there were 17 fatal motorcycle collisions in 2020 - 11.6% of total fatalities
• between 2017 and 2019, 50% of motorcycle fatalities and serious injuries occurred during the months of May to August with 59% occurring during the months of May to September.

Motorcyclist Rider Behaviour Study 2019 found that:

• 43% acknowledge exceeding the speed limit on country/rural roads and 22% on residential roads at least occasionally
• 12% of participants reported having been involved in a road collision (including a minor spill) in the two years previously
• Almost one in two said that the incident resulted in an injury (either minor or serious).
• 59% had a near miss in the same period. 

Our analysis of available coronial files data for 2013-2017 found that:

• of the motorcycle driver fatalities with a record of their actions leading up to the collision (n = 81), 34.6% (n = 28) were exceeding a safe speed. Exceeding a safe speed refers to driving above the speed limit, or driving at a speed that is too high for the road/conditions.

Ease off the throttle 

Our campaign encourages motorcyclists to not ignore the signs if they are speeding and to ease off the throttle.

Motorcyclist invisibility

This campaign highlights how motorcyclists are often overlooked or go unseen on the road. The two videos in this campaign hinges on a surprising twist where we reveal that motorcyclists are often invisible to drivers. The message for other motorists is to always check twice for motorcyclists.

Dangerous manoeuvres

We've created a series of information videos for motorcyclists. Each video focuses on the most dangerous manoeuvres responsible for motorcyclist collisions. They cover negotiating corners and bends, overtaking when turning right, overtaking in the same direction and when a vehicle is joining a main road.

Bike safe programme 

Together with An Garda Síochána we relaunched a pilot programme for motorcyclists, BikeSafe, which ran from June to September 2021 and was organised by An Garda Síochána.

If the scheme is successful, it will be rolled out nationwide in 2022. The programme offers a workshop on topics such as hazard awareness and an on-the-road assessment ride accompanied by an advanced garda motorcyclist.

The workshops are open to all motorcyclists holding a full motorcycle driving licence and are free of charge.