According to Wim Taal, FEMA’s General Secretary, it’s time to rethink infrastructure.

Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable road users and yet road infrastructure across Europe and beyond is often designed with cars in mind. While protective gear and riding skills play a role in rider safety, there’s a critical element that often gets overlooked: the roads themselves.

If we are serious about reducing motorcycle accidents and fatalities, we need to stop treating riders as an afterthought in infrastructure planning. Instead, let’s prioritize them with smart, safety-driven changes. Here’s how we can start:

Fix the surface, save lives
It might sound basic, but smooth, well-maintained roads are a lifeline for riders. A pothole that causes a jolt in a car can easily throw a motorcyclist off their bike. Cracks, loose gravel, and uneven surfaces are more than annoyances, they are hazards. Routine inspections should specifically look for motorcycle dangers, and repairs should use rider-friendly materials. That means avoiding slippery tar patches and ensuring surfaces aren’t just patched, but properly levelled.

Rethink crash barriers
Guardrails are meant to save lives – but for motorcyclists, they can be deadly. Standard metal rails can slice or trap a rider sliding off the road. The solution? Motorcycle-friendly crash barriers, like double rails or energy-absorbing panels. These have already been adopted in several countries and they have proven to be effective. It’s not just about impact, it’s about survivability.

Make road markings work for riders
Paint might not seem dangerous, but when it rains, road markings can become slippery traps. That’s why non-slip paint should be standard, especially at intersections and roundabouts. Clear signage, curve warnings, and reflective markers are also vital. They help riders anticipate the road ahead, giving them time to slow down and react safely.

Design intersections with bikes in mind
Ask any rider and they’ll tell you: intersections are nerve-wracking. Poor visibility and ambiguous lane layouts put motorcyclists at real risk. Cities can fix this by adding motorcycle filter lanes, advance stop boxes, and better signage. In busy urban zones, small changes like these can drastically cut down on crashes caused by inattentive drivers or confusion about right of way.

Don’t slip up on slippery surfaces
Manhole covers, metal grates, cobblestones; they might look harmless, but in the rain they are treacherous. Wherever possible, these surfaces should be swapped out for high-friction alternatives or placed away from the main riding path. Water drainage also matters. Pooled water or moss-covered edges are easy to ignore, until a rider hits them.

Construction zones aren’t one-size-fits-all
Temporary roadworks are often a mess for anyone, but for bikers, they can be a nightmare. Routes full of gravel, steel plates, and unclear signage pose real dangers. When planning roadworks, authorities must consider safe detours for motorcyclists, with clearly marked paths and stable surfaces. Safety doesn’t take a break just because the road is under construction.

Riders deserve a seat at the table
Finally, there’s a simple but powerful idea: ask motorcyclists what they need. Riders’ associations know the danger spots and have years of experience navigating them. Involving groups like FEMA and its national member organisations isn’t just good PR, it leads to better and smarter decisions.

In conclusion
Better roads mean safer rides. For too long, motorcyclists have been expected to adapt to infrastructure that wasn’t built with them in mind. But change is possible and it doesn’t require reinventing the wheel. It just takes the will to see riders not as a problem to be managed, but as part of the solution. When we design roads that are safer for motorcyclists, we make them safer for everyone.

Written by Wim Taal

Top illustration by Wim Taal (AI)

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