Even though road safety statistics show that bikers are increasingly vulnerable on the road, testing and safety measures are not up to standard, writes Conor Twomey
THERE'S BEEN a lot of discussion in recent months regarding provisional drivers' licenses and the long waiting times for driving tests in some parts of the country. While it no doubt makes sense to tackle the problem of unqualified drivers there are other aspects of road safety that don't get enough attention.
According to the most recent statistics available from the RSA, only 56 per cent of those who lost their lives on the roads between 2000 and 2005 were car users. A staggering 13 per cent of those killed on the roads were bikers, despite motorbikes accounting for less than 2 per cent of the registered vehicles.
While riding a motorbike may be inherently more dangerous than travelling in a car - by merit of the fact that there's no protective shell around the rider - the risk need not be as high as it is. A better licensing system would be a good place to start. Although the current graduated licence system is better than no system at all, the fact remains that a rider could have absolutely no riding skills whatsoever and yet is legally entitled to hit the streets. Several years can elapse before a rider is compelled to take a test.
Thankfully, the RSA is working on implementing a basic training course to help new riders learn how to spot and minimise risks before taking to the street, employing a system similar to that being used abroad. However, we've been promised this system since the Motors supplement first went to print.
In the UK, for example, you can't apply for a provisional licence without a compulsory basic training certificate which is obtained by attending a one-day course where you ride on private land, learning basic riding skills in a safe environment.
In addition to compulsory training, the Irish motorbike test also needs to be radically overhauled. Currently the tester drives behind the rider in their own car, ticking boxes as he or she drives along - surely that's a dangerous practise unto itself?
Riders are warned not to wait for the tester, but very quickly the examiner is several car-lengths behind the individual and is so far away they're incapable of assessing the rider.
In addition, the tester has to concentrate on their own driving making it a far from ideal situation. Worst of all, the motorcyclist never rides any faster than 50km/h outside of a small urban area, making it a wholly inappropriate assessment of a rider's skill. What's needed are broader test criteria and, at the very least, a test whereby the rider can be observed safely, ideally from another motorcycle.
If you do pass the unrealistic test, a power restriction remains in place for two years from the date of your first full licence, but then you run into the problem that there is no way for other motorists to tell if a bike is restricted or not.
What's needed is a system whereby a motorbike and rider both have a clear marking.
The RSA plans to put a restricted licence system in place for car drivers later this year, with a clearly marked "R" plate on display on the car, so something similar for motorcyclists would be of benefit. The gardaí also need equipment that allows them to test a bike's power output.
A version of the NCT has to be put in place for motorcycles to ensure basic roadworthiness. A helmet inspection - complete with a non-transferable sticker - could be part of the test, as could emissions and noise checks and a power test on bikes that are supposed to be restricted.
The NRA could start by removing the steel cable barriers that divide many or Ireland's major roads. These have been known to severe the limbs of motorcyclists in crashes that were otherwise very survivable.
Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the individual to ensure their own safety. Rider training, new rules and tougher enforcement can only go so far, so perhaps incentives such as allowing bikers with an advanced rider certificate and a clean driving record to use bus lanes or the hard shoulder at rush hour would encourage people to take further training and ride more responsibly with the end result of reducing the number of riders killed unnecessarily every year.