Guard rails without motorcycle protection may be a contributing cause of fatal accidents, according to Norwegian motorcyclists’ organisation NMCU, and they want the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to install motorcycle protection where needed.

Recently NMCU – a member of FEMA -and other organisations and the press gathered in the Ministry of Transport for a press conference regarding the development of the road accidents. The in-depth analysis of fatal accidents in 2022 was presented, in addition to a briefing on the accident situation in 2023.

In the period 2005 – 2022, the accident analysis group UAG analysed 2,655 fatal road accidents with a total of 2,885 people killed. The accident picture is dominated by head-on accidents and run-off accidents, which make up 70% of the accidents and 72% of the number of fatalities. Pedestrian accidents are the third largest type of accident. Together, the three accident types account for approximately 85% of all traffic fatalities. In 2022, there were a total of 116 people killed in 105 fatal accidents, of which 85% were collision and downhill accidents.

In the analysis, emphasis was placed on the fact that speed, the influence of drugs and lack of driving skills were dominant. All road user groups are carefully described in the analysis and all factors surrounding fatal accidents are taken into account. Unfortunately, there were 21 people killed on motorbikes in 2022, of which two of those killed did not use helmets correctly. NMCU will study the analysis carefully so that we can follow up with input in the work around accidents with a special focus on motorcycles.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration gave a briefing on the situation up to now in 2023. They particularly highlighted the months of August, September and October as months with a high accident burden. September in particular was mentioned, with as many as seven people killed on motorbikes. On motorcycles, it is downhill runs that dominate the fatal accidents, but there have also been some head-on accidents, as well as rear-end collisions.

NMCU notes that in both 2022 and 2023 there are indications that guard rails without motorcycle protection may be a contributing cause of the fatal accidents. NMCU will continue its work and, not least, its meetings with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to install motorcycle protection where needed.

Source: NMCU

Top photograph courtesy of ayresadventures.com

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