Motorcycle accidents on the rise again
Motorcycle accidents among 15- to 17-year-olds are on the rise again. This is shown by statistics from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (bfu) on traffic accidents last year. There were significantly more fatalities and serious injuries than in previous years.
According to the German Council for Accident Prevention (BFU), there were significantly more serious motorcycle accidents last year. Among the losers were mainly 15- to 17-year-olds. 123 young people were seriously injured in motorcycle accidents, and two were killed.
General increase in traffic accidents
The increase in the number of accident victims is also due to the fact that, since last year, 15-year-old boys and girls have been allowed to ride motorcycles and scooters at speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour. Since then, 16-year-olds have even had access to 125-cc machines.
According to the BFU, the current traffic statistics are a cause for concern. Compared to previous years, there was an average of two fatalities and 56 serious injuries. However, there were also more seriously injured and killed motorcyclists on Swiss roads overall last year. There were 47 fatalities and 1067 serious injuries.
Meanwhile, the BFU also appears to be increasingly targeting campaigns on social media channels such as Snapchat, YouTube and Spotify, launched in collaboration with young people and the Federation of Motorcyclists Switzerland (FMS).
The campaign is co-financed by the Road Safety Fund. The message of the videos is: "Risky behavior on a motorcycle is not only dangerous, but also quite embarrassing."
In view of the increase in fair-weather motorcycle activity, the BFU advises the following basic rules:
- Always expect to be overlooked
- Do not cut curves
- Regularly practice correct braking
- Wear protective equipment even on short distances
- Riding a motorcycle with ABS (anti-lock braking system)
Source: AAIB
