Gloves compulsory and airbags advisory for motorbikers in new safety proposals
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 @ 5:03 PM
MOTORCYCLISTS and moped-riders may be required by law to wear gloves, could lose extra points for not wearing a helmet and will be encouraged to fit airbags, as part of the traffic authority's draft plans for cutting down on road injuries and fatalities.
Those seeking to get their moped or motorbike licence will also soon have to take nearly twice as many theory classes – 14 hours instead of the standard eight, with the additional six focusing on risk factors, protection measures and riding techniques.
Not wearing a helmet could, in the near future, involve a loss of four licence points rather than three, but bikers who take additional, approved courses on road safety and awareness – whether or not they have committed an offence – may be able to gain another two points.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) aims to raise awareness among bikers about how to dress for safety – knee and elbow pads, back and shoulder protectors, proper footwear, resilient covering for legs and a jacket that provides sufficient cushioning in the event of impact.
DGT figures show that since a concerted effort was made to clamp down on riders without helmets starting in 2006, a dramatic drop in the number who do fail to use the correct headgear has been reported – but out of the 241 bikers killed on inter-urban roads last year, 10 were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
Motorcyclists make up 21% of all road crash deaths – across the board and on all types of road and terrain, 359 last year, and so far this year 147.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com