RISING motorcycle deaths will be a big barrier to reaching ambitious road toll targets, according to Victoria's top traffic officer, as rider fatalities soar to record levels this year.
The latest figures reveal that a quarter of the 99 deaths on Victorian roads this year have been motorcyclists, the equal highest since 1990 and the highest proportion of overall deaths in at least 20 years.
The statistics have shocked police and hospitals, with The Alfred urging riders and car drivers to be more aware on the roads.
Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said the soaring toll was one of the biggest threats to achieving the state government target of 237 deaths a year by 2017.
Mr Lay said road congestion, fuel prices and environmental concerns meant the number of registered motorcycles in Victoria had reached record levels, while the run of warm days this year meant motorcyclists had flocked to the roads.
Another factor, he said, was that older people with disposable income but without the right skills were increasingly buying motorcycles. He warned that the motorcycle boom would only gather pace in coming years.
''We know there are more motorcyclists on the road, so we're going to see them in more crashes,'' he said. ''We also know that by making a very small mistake a motorcyclist can be killed because they have no protection.
''If we can't get on top of the motorcycle stuff, this may well be what threatens our 2017 target.''
Mr Lay said motorcycle deaths - which stand at 24 this year compared with 13 this time last year - had soared recently, partly because many roads that motorcyclists liked to use, such as in the Yarra Ranges, were shut because of the bushfires.
VicRoads figures show the number of motorcycles and scooters registered has grown 60,000 in the past seven years to 165,100. That number has grown 10,000 in the past nine months alone.
The warning comes as Victoria launches Operation Yellow Flag/Black Flag, a campaign targeting motorcycle safety in the Yarra Ranges this weekend.
Motorcycle Riders Association president Kerry Walton said more awareness campaigns were needed and that all riders needed advanced training.
Speaking at The Alfred hospital yesterday, Dr Fred Mori said motorcyclist injuries were rising and would become worse in the future. He said riders risked horrific injuries if they or car drivers did not take care.
''My own message is for everyone to remember that we have to be responsible for each other,'' he said.
Colin Roles knows about the importance of taking care on a motorcycle but also realises that even the most well-prepared rider can risk serious injury.
In January, while driving through Henrietta in rural Tasmania, he hit a damp spot on the road at 100 km/h and was hit by an oncoming car.
Despite wearing full protective gear, he sustained a crushed spinal cord, broken leg and a fractured hip and elbow, and may never walk again.
Mr Roles, 51, said that if this could happen to an experienced rider like him, imagine what could happen to those who were not prepared or concentrating. ''Sometimes a lot of the idiots come unstuck,'' he said. ''But sometimes the good guys come unstuck too.''
Originally Posted by skidmark
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