Spring has arrived in the glåmdal district, which means that new vehicles are taken out on the road after winter hibernation. In recent years, there has been an increase in serious motorcycle accidents.
– Now the season starts again, and we ask motorists to look extra carefully for the two-wheelers, but also motorcyclists must take it extra easy now at the start of the season, says Jan Harry Svendsen, head of NAF MC.
In both 2023 and 2022, there were several serious accidents on motorcycles. In 2023, 20 motorcyclists died on Norwegian roads, NAF writes in a press release.
– It is completely senseless that lives should be lost when you pursue a passion. We are working to make this year’s season safer than the last. Now that the season starts, we ask motorists to look extra carefully and for motorcyclists to be extra careful, says Jan Harry Svendsen, head of NAF MC.
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Two types of motorcycle accidents recur
Most of the accidents involving motorbikes are downhill in left-hand turns. These are often isolated accidents.
– When you now take your motorcycle out after many months without riding, you have to take it extra easy. Motorcycling is fresh and you are not at the same level now as you were at the end of the season, warns Svendsen.
The other type of accident that occurs again and again happens at intersections where motorists pull out in front of the motorcycle.
– The challenge for motorists is that they have difficulty judging the speed and distance of the motorcycle. They misjudge and think that the motorcyclist is further away than it is and that the speed is lower. Then you run the risk of driving into the intersection, but not overtaking. Our call to drivers is to be extra careful when a motorcyclist approaches, says Svendsen. He adds: – Motorcyclists also have to be alert both with positioning and, not least, to adapt their speed.
Many pitfalls
The roads themselves can also pose a risk at this time of year. Motorcyclists prefer to drive on county roads and smaller roads. With a huge backlog of road maintenance and fresh wear and tear after a long winter, the road traps are many. Holes, longitudinal cracks, unevenness and ruts abound on the roads where motorcyclists travel.
– I have, just on the few trips I’ve had so far this season, noticed a lot of serious damage on the roads. It is important to adjust the speed and pay attention. If you drive down a pothole, you risk losing control, but it can also cause major damage to the motorcycle. Another problem now is gravel in the roadway, at intersections and in exit and entry lanes. It is important to adjust the speed and drive with a good margin of safety, says Svendsen.
Section leader at the Vegtrafikksentralen east of Oslo, Christian Prydz, urges road users to pay attention.
– We see that speed increases when spring arrives and the roads are free of snow and ice, and that more people take risks with dangerous overtaking. We would encourage people to plan well, slow down and not take unnecessary chances in traffic both on departure days and on other days, says Prydz.
Prydz also has a recommendation for the many MC drivers who are now back on the roads:
– Now in May, many people have taken out their motorbike again after it has been sitting idle in the garage all winter. Most have not ridden a bike since last autumn, and are perhaps a bit rusty. In addition, there is still a lot of gravel on the roads in several places in the country. I would encourage you to be particularly attentive, and to take it easy!
Already several fatal accidents
With four deaths already at the beginning of May, the Swedish Road Administration is concerned.
Since 2019, the Norwegian Road Administration, ten organizations and the police have collaborated on the “MC work”. This week they met the MC people to talk about safety. There were many hundreds present at Tyrigrava on this beautiful spring evening.
– We would very much like to have everyone involved in the MC effort, so we can reduce the number of accidents. We have no one to lose, says Lars Inge Haslie of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, who leads the MC effort.
Many die in downhill accidents
Last year, 20 people died on motorbikes, almost 20 per cent of the total number of traffic fatalities. 14 of these died in downhill accidents. 142 people were seriously injured, many with permanent disabilities.
But Haslie has advice for those who get on the bike and are a little rusty after a long winter:
– Remember that it has been a long time since you have driven and been part of the traffic scene, he says, so take your own skills into account and that other road users are not used to looking for you. In addition, there are both cold tires and cold asphalt, and there is still loose sand in many places early in the season, so adjust your speed to the conditions, says Haslie.
The MC charity is gathered around the message “You create your own safety”. The aim is that each individual ensures their own competence and skills, and that everyone is aware and makes wise choices to avoid accidents.
– The most common fatal accident is downhill driving on a bend, says Haslie. We saw that last year, and we have seen that in previous years.
It is largely about choosing a location that ensures distance to other drivers and choosing a speed you can master. To succeed in the future, we must learn from the past, says Lars Inge Haslie.
– That is why we are here today to learn and prepare for the coming season. We have nobody to lose.
How to be sure of MC:
- Use your gaze smartly
- Get an overview – avoid surprises.
- Seek eye contact.
- Look where you’re going.
- Always look for a way out.
- Adjust the speed
- Slow down before the turn.
- Can you stop?
- Choose a speed where you can be detected.
- Position yourself wisely
- Make yourself visible – don’t hide.
- Get room for maneuver – front, back and sideways.
- Drive clearly – be predictable.
The MC-dugnaden is a collaboration between the user organization NMCU, importer and dealer associations of motorcycles, NAF MC, KNA, Trygg Trafikk, Nord University, the industry organizations for the traffic schools Statens vegvesen and the police with a goal of better traffic safety for motorcyclists.
In 2023, MC dugnaden launched the message – “You create your own safety”, which is a message to MC drivers to be aware and make wise choices so that you avoid an accident.
– The message is just as important in the MC season 2024, says Lars Inge Haslie.
