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The Season of Motorcycle Riding Has Started: Will Lessons Be Taken from the Mistakes of Others

2021 04 16

SE Lithuanian Road Administration (later – the Road Administration) has analyzed the data of 2020 traffic accidents with motorcycle fatalites. This enabled to create a picture of a typical motorcyclist fatality: a 21–30 year old man who died in a car accident when riding on a state significance regional road in spring or summer between 15.00 PM and 18.00 PM.

According to the Director Remigijus Lipkevičius, the Road Adminstration pays huge attention to the education of road users, analyzes traffic accident statistics and sets further course of action. The picture of a bicycle fatality will be updated and that of a typical teenager road victim is being prepared.

“A statistical picture of a motorcycle rider fatality has been created for the first time and only one-year data have been analyzed so far. However, it is planned to continue observations and to update the picture of a road motorcycle fatality in one year. The obtained data and created pictures of road accident victims enable to plan educational activities and to select the best communication measures,” says the Director of the Road Adminstration Remigijus Lipkevičius.

To avoid road fatalities, the Road Administration emphasizes the key points before the beginning of the season. When riding a motorcycle, a rider and its passengers shall use safety items (helmets, eye protection, etc.). A lot of attention should be paid to their outfit, which shall be bright-coloured in order to be spotted in the distance.

Before starting the season, it is very important to observe the permitted speed limit and not to overestimate one‘s opportunities since riding skills may be poorer and reaction time might be slower. Weather and traffic conditions shall be taken into consideration, since asphalt is still cold in the morning. Therefore, tyre-road surface cohesion is not good, which means a larger distance from other vehicles shall be maintained and a balanced driving style shall be observed.

After winter season, there is a lot of sand on asphalt, which makes it slippery too. Attention should be paid to numerous potholes on the road and one should be more careful when riding early in the morning or late at night, at dusk.

According to the Director of R. Lipkevičius, car drivers shall get used to motorcyclists who start their riding season. Drivers shall be more careful and check the right side mirror more frequently:  motorcyclists may be straying into their lane and turn in front of them. To make all road users safe, mindful behaviour on the road is extremely important. Respect and attention to each other is the basis of road traffic safety.

According to the preliminary Lithuanian Road Police Department data, 17 motorcyclists died on Lithuanian roads in 2020, i.e. half as many as in 2019. Ten motorcyclist fatalities caused traffic accidents themselves; seven of them died at the fault of other drivers.