Motorcyclist Awareness Month puts rider safety in focus

Published date: 01 Oct 2026

Victorian motorcyclists and drivers are being urged to look out for each other as Motorcyclist Awareness Month (MAM) begins and rider numbers are set to increase with the onset of warmer weather and longer days.

Led by Victoria’s Motorcycle Community Engagement Panel, with support from the TAC, Victoria Police and the Department of Transport and Planning, MAM calls on drivers to actively look out for riders and for motorcyclists to take think about the steps they can take to improve their safety.

Motorcyclists are some of our most vulnerable road users because they have limited protection. Despite representing just four per cent of Victoria’s registered vehicles, motorcyclists account for 21% of road deaths and around 20% of serious injuries.

Despite fewer rider fatalities in 2026, serious injuries remain high, with 1,152 motorcyclists seriously injured in 2025, up from 1,030 in 2024 and above the five-year average of 999. So far this year, 22 riders have died on Victorian roads, compared with 45 at the same time last year.

Around 57% of rider fatalities in the past five years have involved another vehicle, with 52% of these occurring at intersections, a reminder of how vigilance from every road user matters most where traffic converges.

Weekend riding carries the greatest risk, with Saturday and Sunday together accounting for more than 40 per cent of serious motorcycle injuries in 2025, and the afternoon period between 2pm and 6pm the most common time for crashes to occur, a pattern the TAC says reinforces the need for drivers and riders alike to rest before heading out on a ride and stay alert during peak recreational riding periods.

This year, MAM will have events across the month showcasing rider safety initiatives and road safety education, where riders and the wider community are welcome. The TAC will return to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island on October 23 – 25 to promote rider safety and the role of protective clothing in reducing injury severity.

Campaign ambassador Ross Noble, comedian and motorcycling enthusiast, returns for a new digital content series on sharing the road safely.

More information: www.spokes.com.au/motorcyclist-awareness-month

Quotes attributable to TAC Head of Road Safety, Samantha Cockfield
“Motorcyclists remain overrepresented in our road trauma, and Motorcyclist Awareness Month is a reminder that road safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

“An extra moment spent looking out for a rider, or a safer choice behind the wheel, can be the difference between life and death.”