The Road Safety Authority found that motorbikes account for over 5% of collisions on Irish roads, whilst less that 2% of all licensed vehicles in Ireland are motorbikes.
There are three licensing categories for motorcycles under new regulations; A category ’ A’ license allows you to drive a motorbike with or without a sidecar, as long as you are over 18 years of age. A category ‘A1’ license allows you to operate a motorcycle with an engine capacity not exceeding 125cc and a power rating not exceeding 11kw, as long as you are over 16 years of age. The final category ‘M’, is as the letter suggests, for moped users, with an engine capacity up to 49cc, a maximum speed of 45kph and over 16 years of age.
In the unfortunate event of an accident it is important that you possess the correct license for the vehicle you were driving. The RSA also found the most dangerous time for motorbike collisions was between 5pm and 6pm each evening and that May is traditionally the most dangerous month for motorbike casualties.
Motorbike collisions can often result in serious injury or fatality, with the majority of collisions involving a motorcycle and a motorcar. In many cases the driver of the motorcar was not paying due attention to his surroundings and is oblivious to the existence of a motorbike.
If you have unfortunately been the victim of a motorbike accident, through no fault of your own and are now facing significant medical expenses, we recommend you contact a trusted solicitor.