3 March 2021

Police appeal for greater care as two more bikers killed on ACT roads

| Michael Weaver
Join the conversation
5
ACT Policing's road policing motorcycle officers.

ACT Policing’s road policing motorcycle officers. Photo: Supplied.

The deaths of two bikers on ACT roads in recent weeks has prompted ACT Policing to urge road users to pay extra attention to motorcyclists as part of its latest road safety campaign.

ACT Policing’s road policing motorcycle officer Senior Constable Drew McKellar said motorcyclists are over-represented in the ACT’s fatality statistics accounting for 1 in 5 of road deaths since 2016.

The appeal follows the death of a motorcyclist killed on Monday 1 March in a collision with a truck and a utility on the Monaro Highway north of Michelago and comes after the death of a 47-year-old motorcyclist who was killed in a single-vehicle accident in Hennessy St in Belconnen on 1 February.

A young motorcyclist died on Paddy’s River Road on 17 January.

On 27 November last year, a Sutton man was fined $1841 and received six demerit points after his motorbike was detected travelling at 132 km/h in an 80 km/h stretch of the Barton Highway at about 9:00 pm on a Friday night.

Snr Const McKellar said motorcyclist deaths accounted for more than 20 per cent of lives lost on ACT roads since 2016.

“Since 2016, 40 people have lost their lives on the Territory’s roads, and nine of them, that’s more than 20 per cent, have been motorcyclists,” he said.

“As motorcyclists are only about five per cent of registered vehicles, that’s a startling statistic.

“This month we’re asking all road users to be aware of motorcyclists and for motorcyclists to remember how vulnerable they are.”

READ ALSO Motorcyclist dies at scene of Monaro Highway accident

The latest road safety campaign also focuses on vulnerable road users and forms part of the ACT Road Safety Strategy which prioritises a ‘vision zero’ approach to road safety.

Vulnerable road users also includes children, pedestrians and motorcyclists who do not have the same protection as a car in a collision.

Join the conversation

5
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

All motorcyclists who are charged for moving traffic violations should be required to undertake an Advanced Motorcycle Riders Course to keep their licence. Most single vehicle motorcycle accidents are the result of ignorance of motorcycle dynamics or lack of skill through inexperience.

They should be policing the motorcyclists better, as they’re more of a danger to themselves than any other road user. Riding at high speeds over the speed limit, illegally lane filtering, weaving through traffic and gaps that don’t exist, using bike lanes, passing on unbroken lines. Temporary Australians is an accurate description for about 80% of them who clearly don’t give a stuff.

Plus Canberra has the worst most self entitled drivers around. Having driven all over the country and around the world by far the worst car drivers I have had to experience. A few seconds delay and they lose their minds. Add most of them won’t even drive from north to south or vice versa in ACT and you have a bunch of people who are not very experienced all coming together. The only thing I don’t like about living here.

Yeah, you basically have to ride like everybody else on the road is trying to kill you. People trying to change lanes on top of you is common, as is people thinking they can just pull out in front of you.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.