Taking Action on Motorcycle Safety: Policy Pathways to Save Lives

Motorcycle safety has become critical to saving lives on the road. In many low- and middle-income countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, motorcycles have become the primary mode of transport. Families use them to take their children to school and commute to work. Young people increasingly rely on them for work to support themselves and their families, sometimes taking out loans with unfavorable terms. 

According to the World Health Organization’s latest Global Status Report on Road Safety, since 2011 motorcycle use increased by 175 percent. Riders of motorcycles and other powered two- and three-wheeled vehicles are dying at higher rates than any other group on the road, accounting for nearly 1/3 of all deaths. This crisis affects communities of all sizes, and the ripple effects have a devastating impact on quality of life, economic livelihood and heightened health risks resulting from the trauma of injuries from road crashes. The data and stories of people impacted by death and injury related to motorcycle use are urgently calling for action to shift this trend. 

GHAI’s Motorcycle Policy Project 

The Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s (GHAI) Road Safety program initiated a Motorcycle Policy Project in early 2024 to address this growing challenge. The project is examining motorcycle safety, including the factors driving accelerated motorcycle use and ownership, in specific national contexts: Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Mexico, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam. We are partnering with national and local civil society organizations to learn about the impact of motorcycle deaths and injuries on communities, as well as community-led solutions. We are also working with government stakeholders to analyze existing policies, including gaps, barriers and opportunities. This analysis will help identify national-level policy pathways to improve motorcycle safety. 

Motorcycle Policy Dialogues 

In support of this new initiative, GHAI convened motorcycle policy dialogues with road safety advocates, policymakers and partners of the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) on the sidelines of the Transforming Transportation Conference in March 2024 and the BlGRS partners meeting in June 2024. These dialogues provided insight on emerging best practices for policies that will enhance motorcycle safety. The priority issues which emerged across countries include:  

• Speed limit policies, a key tool for road safety overall, remain a critical intervention for motorcycle safety.  
• Policies to protect children on motorcycles need to be strengthened. In many countries, children commonly ride unprotected with their families or drive motorcycles themselves, especially in rural areas. 
• Helmet use is critical to motorcycle safety—and on this as well as other issues, industry partners must be a part of the solution, such as by engaging helmet manufacturers to increase the affordability and accessibility of certified helmets.  
• Regulating engine sizes can reduce the top speeds of motorcycles, reducing risk of injury and death among drivers and riders of two- and three-wheeled vehicles. Anti-lock brakes should be installed on more motorcycles. They are one of the best vehicle technologies for reducing death and injury.  
• Increased investments in public transportation where it is lacking can address one of the main reasons people rely on motorcycles for work, school and essential activities. 

While increased motorcycle use has led to more road deaths and injuries, policy solutions exist, and local and national stakeholders are helping to identify the most effective interventions for their countries. By implementing effective policies, enforcing safer speed limits, regulating engine sizes to control motorcycle speeds, and other transformative approaches, motorcycle safety will be within reach.