Sydney, June 2 (IANS) New motorcyclists face a much higher risk of a serious accident than any other mode of travelling.
‘The crash risk for new riders is around double that for more experienced riders,’ says Matthew Baldock, a research fellow with the University of Adelaide Centre for Automotive Safety Research.
‘There are increasing numbers of people riding motorcycles, particularly scooters, and older riders – people in their 40s – taking it up,’ says Baldock.
‘There are a lot more people riding motorcycles and an increasing proportion of motorcycle riders in the road toll.’
Baldock says motorcycle riders are at greater injury risk because they are less protected than in other vehicles, said an University of Adelaide release.
But motorcycle accidents could be reduced through changes to licensing regulations, including increasing the minimum age, increasing the time new riders have to spend on provisional and learner licences and increased mandatory training.
