As longer evenings and warmer weather signal the start of the peak motorcycling season, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is urging road users in Ireland to take heightened precautions.
The organization said there had been a rise this year in motorcyclist deaths. Already in 2025, 10 motorcyclists have lost their lives on Irish roads – an increase from seven deaths during the same period in 2024 and four fatalities during the same period in 2023.
New RSA research analysed hospital data from 2019 to 2023, which found that 1,556 motorcyclists were hospitalised following road traffic collisions. Of these, almost a third sustained clinically serious injuries, which have a higher probability of long-term consequences for the casualty after the collision.
Key findings from hospital data revealed:
- A large number involved young male motorcyclists aged 15–34.
- Nearly half of clinically serious injuries occurred in single-vehicle collisions.
- Lower limbs (29%), chest (17%), and head (15%) were the most affected areas.
- Over one in three motorcyclists sustained multiple clinically serious injuries.
- Almost 25% of motorcyclists with clinically serious injuries required transfer to another hospital for continued medical care.
- Motorcyclists with clinically serious injuries spent on average over two weeks in hospital.
“We are urging motorcyclists to take every possible precaution, including to ride within speed limits and at a speed appropriate for the road and conditions, as well as anticipating the actions of others,” said Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships & External Affairs at the Road Safety Authority.
“We encourage both motorists and motorcyclists to take time to look carefully, assess the road ahead, and anticipate potential hazards and other road users — that extra time, that extra look could be the difference between life or death.”
