EDITORIAL: ‘Bike Safe' this holiday weekend

THIS May back holiday weekend, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána are appealing to motorcyclists to ‘Bike Safe’ as the risk to riders’ safety is set to increase over the summer months. Since 2010, 16 motorcyclists have been killed in Cork of the total of 168 nationally and there were 629 seriously injured too, which can have a lasting legacy effect on both them and their families as, sometimes, these injuries can be life-changing. 

What is most worrying is that an examination of forensic collision investigation files, published in 2016 by the RSA, found that almost a third of motorcyclists involved in fatal collisions between 2008 and 2012 had consumed alcohol and that bikers speeding was a factor in almost half of all motorcyclist deaths. Summertime is high-risk season for motorcyclists, especially Saturdays and Sundays, and in fairness, the majority of older motorcyclists are conscious of their vulnerability, but younger riders on powerful machines are not, as the RSA study also found that half of the 80 motorcyclists deemed culpable for collisions they were involved in were aged between 25 and 34 years old.

All drivers need to be conscious, not just of motorcyclists, but of pedal cyclists as well and drivers of cars and other vehicles need to allow at least 1.5m of space between them when overtaking.