Only one in 20 Qld vehicles are motorcycles. Yet they account for one-third of fatalities

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Only 1 successful 20 Qld vehicles are motorcycles. Yet they relationship for one-third of fatalities

One-third of motorists killed connected Queensland roads successful the archetypal 4 months of 2024 were motorcyclists, contempt lone a tiny fraction of roadworthy users travelling connected 2 wheels.

Between January and April, 94 radical died successful crashes connected Queensland roads. Of those, 31 were motorcyclists – a 46.2 per cent summation from the erstwhile five-year average.

A spike successful fatal motorcycle crashes has contributed to 94 lives mislaid connected Queensland roads truthful acold this year.

Those stark figures person prompted the RACQ, Queensland’s highest motorists’ body, to impulse motorcyclists to “drop the ego, not the bike” successful a caller information propulsion to beryllium launched connected Tuesday.

“Riders relationship for 33 per cent of the increasing roadworthy toll, yet motorcycles marque up astir 4 per cent of vehicles successful Queensland. Motorcyclists are dying astatine disproportionate rates,” RACQ roadworthy information manager Joel Tucker said.

“We estimation astir 280,000 RACQ members thrust motorcycles, and astir would hold it’s a amusive and cost-effective mode to get around, but it’s a riskier mode of transport than a car.

“We are little protected connected a bike, and we cognize it, truthful we request to debar doing things that further summation that hazard specified arsenic not riding to the postulation oregon roadworthy conditions and not riding wrong our accomplishment level.”

During an Easter roadworthy information blitz past month, Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Pilotto, from the Queensland Police Service’s roadworthy policing and determination enactment command, said motorcyclists continued to beryllium “over-represented” successful the state’s roadworthy toll.

“I implore you arsenic a motorcycle rider, oregon a partner, person oregon loved 1 of a motorcycle rider, talk to them, speech to them astir their riding,” helium said.

Tucker said astir motorcyclists who had died were male, arsenic men were prone to taking much risks.

“By taking unnecessary risks and letting our egos bash the riding, we’re not lone expanding our accidental of an embarrassing insignificant driblet oregon debased velocity crash, but besides earnestly oregon fatally injuring ourselves,” helium said.

“This National Road Safety Week, we’re urging riders to driblet the ego, not the bike.”

Former Australian Superbike Championship racer Michael Edwards, who ran a Yamaha dealership astatine North Lakes, said ego often led motorcyclists to bargain vehicles with much grunt than they could handle.

“Far excessively often you spot guys riding bikes that are excessively large for them and excessively almighty for their experience,” helium said.

“...Don’t bargain a motorbike conscionable due to the fact that it looks chill oregon it’s bigger than your mate’s motorcycle due to the fact that it won’t look chill if you travel off.”