Success in Spain: no mandatory airbag for motorcyclists

The Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic has withdrawn its wish to make the use of airbag vests or jackets mandatory for motorcyclists.

Juan Manuel Reyes, president of AMM: “We appreciate the sensitivity of the General Directorate of Traffic in this matter, and we appreciate its efforts to take the proposals and suggestions of the users into consideration. Once again, it is shown that the path of dialogue between the authorities and civil society is the appropriate line, and that union and joint work is key to achieving the demands of our collective. This great advance has been possible thanks to the support of all the groups and motorcyclists that are part of this initiative and that together represent more than 600,000 people.” (Photograph courtesy of www.lavozdegalicia.es)

The Directorate-General for Traffic introduced the mandatory use of airbags in the draft reform of the traffic regulations in March 2021. The proposal led to protests from motorcyclists, as became by the results of the opinion poll Spanish motorcyclists’ association AMM conducted, in order to have a clear idea of the feeling of the Spanish motorcyclists’ community. 65.5% of the motorcyclists surveyed did not agree with the mandatory use of airbags.

Asociación Mutua Motera (AMM) – a member of FEMA – encourages the voluntary use of personal protective equipment and clothing appropriate to the environment in which they are used, but AMM opposes the mandatory use of such equipment and clothing.

A coalition of organizations scheduled several meetings with the Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic and after they considered the arguments raised by the motorcyclists, the Directorate-General now says it first wants in-depth studies carried out – as suggested by the motorcyclists – that investigate the safety results devices like airbag for motorcyclists have to offer in real life situations.

The coalition was formed by PMSV (Motorcycle platform for road safety), AMM (Asociación Mutua Motera), ANESDOR (national association of companies in the two-wheel sector), PROVIAL (association of driving instructors) and hundreds of motorcycle clubs throughout Spain.