More than one-in-10 motorcyclists had a crash in the two years up to the summer of 2023, a new report has found.
The national survey of 1,200 motorcyclists from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) was conducted last summer and published today.
It shows 11% of motorcyclists had a road collision during the last two years.
Meanwhile, more than 70% of motorcyclists experienced a ‘near miss’ at least once over the two years.
Both incidences are significantly higher among riders under the age of 35.
A motorcyclist moves through traffic. Image: RSAOf those that had a collision, 52% reported injuries with one-in-three reporting serious injuries.
The other 48% were minor spills where no one was injured but there was possible damage to the vehicles involved.
The most common reasons for road collisions were another vehicle coming from a side road pulling into their path (18%) or another vehicle colliding with the rear or side of their motorcycle (16%).
More than 85% of motorcyclists admit to filtering through stopped or slow-moving traffic at least occasionally.
Some 42% also say they exceed the speed limit on motorways and rural roads.
Some 3% have ridden a motorcycle after drinking alcohol in past 12 months, with the incidence rate rising to 6% among those based in Dublin.
Reducing risks
RSA Chief Sam Waide said there have been 15 motorcyclist deaths on Irish roads so far this year.
"The lack of a protective cabin combined with possible high-speed means that motorbikes will always be a particularly vulnerable mode of transport," he said.
"Motorcyclists can greatly reduce risk by taking some simple precautions such as professional training, wearing the proper personal protective equipment and ensuring that your motorcycle is properly maintained.
"Drivers of other vehicles need to be aware of motorcyclists, particularly in their blind spots, when turning, overtaking and at junctions.
"All road users need to look out for each other and share the road safely. Give space to others, particularly vulnerable road users," he added.
When asked for suggestions on how to improve road safety for motorcyclists, awareness training for other road users was the most frequent response.
They survey shows motorcycle usage peaks in the summer with 86% of motorcyclists riding at least once a week.
