There has been a concerning increase in motorcycle fatalities on Victorian roads this year, with thirty-five motorcyclists losing their lives so far, marking a 75 percent rise from last year at the same time. This spike is 56 percent higher than the five-year average of 22.6 deaths by only six months into 2024, which has prompted worries from the police.
Despite the usual drop in motorcycle activity during cooler weather, Victoria Police noted that this trend did not hold true this year. In fact, May was the deadliest month for motorcyclists in a decade, with eight rider fatalities compared to none in the previous May. Additionally, there have been five motorcyclist deaths in June, compared to three at the same time last year.
The majority of rider fatalities occur on metropolitan roads, with 19 deaths recorded so far this year, up from 15 last year. However, motorcycle deaths on regional roads have more than tripled to 16 in 2024. Alarmingly, two out of five riders killed in accidents were aged between 18 and 35.
Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir expressed concern over the significant increase in motorcyclist road trauma this year, attributing failing to give way and inappropriate speed as major contributing factors to these fatalities. To address this issue, police will increase enforcement efforts, particularly in bayside suburbs such as Kingston, Glen Eira, and Bayside, where rider deaths have spiked from zero last year to five this year.
With a total of 137 fatalities on Victorian roads in 2024, including 16 deaths in June alone, the Traffic Accident Commission (TAC) emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety. Pedestrian deaths have also nearly doubled to 23 compared to 12 at the same time last year. TAC acting chief commissioner Andrew Holt stressed the need for road users to make safe choices by slowing down, avoiding driving under the influence, and eliminating distractions such as mobile phones.
