Motorcyclist safety takes a team effort on the roads

Published date: 03 Oct 2025

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is urging drivers and motorcyclists to look out for each other and share the road safely, with the number of riders being killed and injured still concerningly high.

As Motorcyclist Awareness Month (MAM) begins this week in Victoria, 47 riders have lost their lives on the state’s roads – a reduction on the 49 at the same time in 2024, but significantly above the five-year average of 36.

Led by Victoria’s Motorcycle Community Engagement Panel, with support from the TAC, Victoria Police and the Department of Transport and Planning, the initiative focuses on rider safety, highlighting the importance of motorists safely sharing the roads with riders, and motorcyclists playing their role in keeping themselves safe.

Motorcycle riders make up around three per cent of registered vehicles in Victoria, however account for around 17 per cent of road deaths and around 23 per cent of very serious injuries.

In the past five years, around 60 per cent of motorcycle rider fatalities have involved another vehicle – with approximately half of these happening at intersections.

Intersections are highly complex environments where we often see drivers, riders, pedestrians and cyclists interacting, highlighting the need for all road users to remain vigilant and obey all road rules, signals and signs.

MAM will officially launch with a community event this Saturday (4 October) at Melbourne’s Queensbridge Square on Southbank from 10:30am to 12:30pm – motorcyclists and the broader community are encouraged to attend.

To kick-off the month, TAC has also joined with Ambulance Victoria to highlight the impact of road trauma on first responders and promote the importance of wearing protective gear on every ride.

The TAC has re-launched its motorcycle safety campaign, Only Protected for a Moment, to remind motorcyclists of how important it is to wear protective gear for every ride. The TAC will again be at the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island on 18-19 October, promoting rider safety gear.

Throughout MAM, Victorians will see safety messages on roadside digital signage across the state as well as widespread media advertising in metro and regional areas, and community events will pop up including ‘Blessing of the Bikes’ at Tooborac and ‘Biketoberfest’ at Leongatha.

Campaign ambassador, comedian and motorcycling enthusiast Ross Noble will also feature in a digital content series promoting motorcyclist safety.

For more information, please visit the Spokes website.

Quotes attributable to Transport Accident Commission CEO, Tracey Slatter

“Tragically, motorcycle riders are overrepresented in road trauma, and we are investing in motorcycle safety programs, and supporting campaign effort, like Motorcyclist Awareness Month, that focus on improving safety for riders.”

"Motorcyclists face significantly higher risks when incidents occur on the roads, so it is essential that both drivers and riders take shared responsibility for road safety and play their part in protecting one another."

Quotes attributable to Ambulance Victoria A/Executive Director Regional Operations, Michael Georgiou

“Crashes don’t just affect those who are injured but have a major impact on others around them including family members and the first responders who attend these cases. When you’re on the road, please be patient, be alert and take care.”