Research shows overall safety improving in Europe for motorcyclsits

Research by European motorcycle body ACEM reveals that the number of powered two wheeler (PTW) rider fatalities has decreased by 27% in 10 years (2001-2010). ACEM performed an analysis of road safety statistics based on International Road Traffic Accident Data (IRTAD) data for the period 2001-2010. But despite this positive result the percentage of PTW rider fatalities has increased in the overall transport mix, due to a much greater reduction in fatalities amongst other road user groups. The research shows
May 1, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Improving safety has been seen in Europe for motorcyclists, with the improved Spanish barrier regulations being one notable development
Research by European motorcycle body ACEM reveals that the number of powered two wheeler (PTW) rider fatalities has decreased by 27% in 10 years (2001-2010). ACEM performed an analysis of road safety statistics based on International Road Traffic Accident Data (3444 IRTAD) data for the period 2001-2010. But despite this positive result the percentage of PTW rider fatalities has increased in the overall transport mix, due to a much greater reduction in fatalities amongst other road user groups. The research shows that in the 2001-2010 period, the number of PTW riders killed dropped by 27.3%. Specifically, the number of moped riders killed dropped 58.6% while the number of motorcyclists killed dropped 14.4%. This shows that safety for moped riders has been constantly improving but cannot be explained with the 6.5% reduction in the number of mopeds in use across Europe as a whole. In some countries, such as Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Slovenia and Sweden, moped use has been increasing while fatalities have dropped. With regard to motorcycles, there is still a disparity between EU Member States in terms of safety performance. Progress has been marked in some countries but others are improving at a slower rate. In some countries the number of motorcycle riders has increased and the reasons behind these differences are being further investigated. The numbers of motorcycles in use in Europe grew by 45% during 2001-2010, the biggest single growth for any vehicle type in Europe in the period. ACEM uses data from IRTAD because it contains exposure data for motorcycles and mopeds in use in each country.

At present there are some 33 million PTWs in use in Europe. But ACEM says that despite the large numbers of these vehicles in use, PTWs are often forgotten in mainstream EU policies. According to ACEM, this fails to acknowledge the benefits PTWs generate and may prevent their benefits with regard to transport mobility, as well as environmental and safety improvements, from being adequately developed.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Concern at high number of motorcycle deaths in US
    May 20, 2016
    Concern has been expressed at the high number of fatalities involving motorcycle users in the US during 2015. Preliminary figures from state authorities show that over 5,000 people were killed in motorcycle crashes in the US over the course of 2015. The full data has yet to be compiled and analysed but these early figures suggest an increase in motorcyclist deaths of 10% for 2014 compared with 2015, or around 450 more people killed than in the year previously. The report was released as part of the Gove
    Read More
  • European Transport Safety Commission makes call for traffic safety boost
    July 10, 2015
    In 2013, 7,600 people died in road traffic while cycling or walking in European Union (EU) countries – the equivalent of a commercial airliner full of passengers being lost every week Because of this risk of death, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) wants vehicle manufacturers and local authorities to pay special attention to improving safety for cyclists, walkers and pedestrians. In a new report, the ETSC said the numbers being killed are falling more slowly than those for vehicle occupants. Over
    Read More
  • EU must do more to cut car occupant deaths, say transport safety campaigners
    April 25, 2014
    Transport safety campaigners are calling on the European Union to accelerate progress on reducing the number of people killed in cars annually in the EU, as new research shows 12,345 car occupants died in 2012. The report into trends in car occupant safety, published today (29 April 2014) by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), claims that 900 lives could be saved every year in the EU if car manufacturers were required to fit seat-belt reminder sensors to front and rear passenger seats to help prev
    Read More
  • How retroreflection can assist in improving traffic safety
    April 29, 2015
    Better road markings can boost safety for road users. There is currently a strong focus on traffic safety in Europe with a number of programmes intended to reduce the overall number of crashes on roads and cut the statistics for injuries and fatalities. In the first EU programme implemented between 2001 and 2010, the goal was to halve the number of people killed in road crashes. Most EU countries showed significant improvement over the decade and a few countries met or even exceeded this target of 50% r
    Read More

Highlighted Content