In 2021, 43% of motorcyclists and moped users who died as a result of a road accident did not wear a helmet according to the 44th report published on Wednesday, by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), as part of the Road Safety PIN (Performance Index) programme. Cyprus has the second highest percentage among the 12 countries that provided relevant data.
Among other recommendations, the report calls for an improvement in the enforcement of helmet-wearing, especially in countries with very low levels of helmet-wearing such as Greece and Cyprus. It is highly recommended that the EU and national governments could also promote a consumer information scheme on the safety performance of helmets and other protective equipment such as airbag jackets.
According to a press release, the 44th report (PIN Flash Report 44) presents the data in the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), as well as in Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Serbia and the United Kingdom, regarding the road deaths of motorcyclists and mopeds. It is noted that ETSC is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing the numbers of deaths and injuries in transport in Europe and the entire report can be found at the link https://www.etsc.eu/PinFlash44
Over the last decade, it says, the number of road deaths of motorcyclists and mopeds in the EU has decreased by 25%, from 5,216 deaths in 2011 to 3,891 in 2021. The majority of those killed were motorcyclists. The number of all other road deaths fell by 33% over the same period. It should be noted that in Cyprus during this period, road deaths of motorcyclists and mopeds decreased by 17% (from 17 in 2011 to 14 in 2021).
Motorcycle user deaths are declining more slowly than moped and other road deaths. Over the past ten years, according to the Report, the number of motorcyclist deaths has decreased by an average of 6% per year in the EU24, from 983 in 2011 to 526 in 2021. In Cyprus, it is reported that the numbers were too small to be statistically significant (3 in 2011 and 2 in 2021).
The report found that 3,891 people died while riding a motorcycle or moped in the EU in 2021, around 90% of whom were men.
It is noted that the use of a motorcycle helmet is mandatory in all EU countries and, overall, compliance rates are high. And yet, the Report points out, in some countries the proportion of non-helmeted users killed remains high.
As highlighted in Cyprus in 2021, 43% of dead motorcyclists and moped riders did not wear a helmet. This was the second highest rate among the 12 countries that provided data.
According to the report, changes to EU licensing requirements in 2013 may have contributed to the lower number of deaths by creating a series of stages to acquire a full license for the largest and most powerful motorcycles.
It is underlined that the minimum recommended age to ride a moped in the EU is now 16 but, in several countries, it is still possible to ride at the age of 14, without passing a practical test. ETSC says a practical test should be mandatory and all countries should apply the recommended minimum age of 16 or higher.
Mandatory technical inspections which should be required for all motorcycles and mopeds, as well as a focus on checking that vehicles haven’t been modified for higher speeds, are included among the report’s other recommendations. It is noted that the European Commission is currently reviewing rules on vehicle inspections, with a proposal expected this year.
Furthermore, it is recommended that national governments should develop better enforcement of speed limits applying to motorcyclists in order to allow for the fact that motorcyclists cover their face with helmets so cannot be identified in countries that require identification of the driver/rider when issuing penalties.
It is emphasized that the enforcement of helmet-wearing should be improved, especially in countries with very low levels of helmet-wearing such as Greece and Cyprus. It is highly recommended that the EU and national governments could also promote a consumer information scheme on the safety performance of helmets and other protective equipment such as airbag jackets.
Jenny Carson, manager of ETSC’s Road Safety Performance Index programme commented that “in recent years motorcyclists have been less of a focus in road safety,” adding that “there are several smart and straightforward measures that can be taken to reduce the unacceptable number of deaths every year.”
Some, he added, “are obvious such as not allowing children aged 14 to ride motorcycles. Others require a bit of innovation such as ensuring that motorcyclists can be sanctioned for exceeding the speed limit like any other road user.”
“We also need to pay close attention to growing trends such as the number of young people, mostly men, now delivering hot food in our cities on motorcycles, working under time pressure on poorly maintained vehicles, while being distracted by app-based tools,” he concluded.
Source: Cyprus News Agency