Motorcycle accidents killed 52 in the first semester: Councils that save lives

In the first half of the year, there were 52 fatalities in almost 2,900 motorcycle accidents in Portugal. These are worrying data regarding the accident involving motorcyclists, and the reduction of occurrences and victims depends on all drivers - including cars.

That's why, there are measures that can and must be followed by all to avoid occurrences, as well as mitigate their impact – in addition to 52 deaths, 2,650 minor injuries and 342 severe injuries were recorded. The vast majority of the 2,871 accidents occurred in the districts of Porto, Braga, Lisbon, Faro, Aveiro and Setúbal, and 78.7 percent of the victims were within the localities.

GNR attributes the highest risk to traffic intensity, as well as frequent maneuvers in city environments and the multiplication of crossings. But there were also 608 accidents and 21 fatalities outside the localities.

Motorcycles safely depend on everyone

The government wants to reduce road accidents and, as far as accidents involving two-wheeled vehicles are concerned, the improvement of the landscape depends on everyone – including those who drive cars.

GNR shared some recommendations, which join the general advice and good practice on the roads – including the absolute respect of all the rules of the Road Code, such as speed limits or correct positioning on the track, as well as the realization of overruns in a legal and prudent way.

If you drive a car

• Always maintain the appropriate safety distance;
• Watch the dead angles before the maneuvers;
• Signal the changes in direction in time and correctly.

If you drive a motorcycle

• Use protective equipment (coat, clothing and footwear);
• Practice defensive driving;
• Be aware and try to anticipate other users’ behaviors;
• Pay special attention to the dead angles of the light ones.