The DGT wants to protect motorcyclists with new measures that will come into force in 2021

The motorcycle sector experienced a growth of 7.8% for motorcycles and 11.4% for mopeds in 2019, and this year, despite the pandemic, figures are also expected to be positive. Motorcycles have grown in popularity since the lockdown and will be central to the new mobility that major cities are facing.

Unfortunately, not everything is good news for motorcycles. It goes without saying that riding a motorcycle involves a number of risks, which have been heightened precisely by this rise in popularity, the most notable point being that the two-wheeler sector is the only group that has achieved the smallest reduction in fatalities over the last decade, while the vehicle fleet has grown the most.

In this way, the DGT is looking for solutions to reduce accidents among motorcyclists and, to that end, a series of rules will come into force in 2021, some of which we already knew would arrive and others that have just been announced:

Changes to the Traffic Law and the General Traffic Regulations

As we told you in mid-November, in 2021 changes will arrive to the Traffic Law and the General Traffic Regulations that will also affect motorcycles in general and in more specific ways. For example, you could lose 4 points if you are not wearing a helmet, you may not exceed the speed limit of the road by more than 20 km/h when overtaking, in addition to the new maximum speed limits on urban roads.

It is also specified that committing fraud during the driving test by using unauthorised communication devices will become a very serious offence, carrying a fine of 500 euros and a ban on retaking the driving test for 6 months. In addition, when taking the skills and road circulation tests for the AM, A1 and A2 licences, full equipment must be worn: helmet, gloves, jacket and trousers designed for riding a motorcycle with their respective protections, and leather boots.

But if we already have our driving licence for motorcycles or mopeds and have lost some of our points, motorcyclists, along with the rest of drivers, will be able to take safe driving courses in exchange for recovering or gaining two points, with a maximum of 15 points in our account. Only one course will be permitted every two years, but they will undoubtedly be very useful for those who want to broaden their knowledge and improve their reactions on two wheels.

Gloves become mandatory

Some people still do not understand that, no matter how short the journey, when we get on a motorcycle it is essential to wear full equipment so that, in the event of a fall or accident, the injuries to our body are minimised. Unfortunately, certain items of our equipment are not mandatory, while others will become so, a measure that, incidentally, has been very well received within the sector.

When a motorcyclist has an accident, one of the parts of our body that suffers most is the hands, since we will instinctively try to use them to protect ourselves from an impact or from being dragged along the ground. For this reason, gloves will become part of the mandatory equipment, although with a big “but”: they will only be required for journeys on interurban roads and not within the city, a measure that is hard to understand since it is precisely within cities that most motorcycle accidents occur.

Continuing with rider equipment, more and more riders are using an airbag, whether external to the jacket or built into it. For now it is a safety element that, although it enjoys ever-growing popularity, still carries a cost that many people are not willing or able to pay, so for the time being the DGT will not require its use, although if necessary it will discuss the matter with the sector in order to impose it.

Riding on the hard shoulder is permitted

One of the great advantages of motorcycles is their ability to avoid traffic jams by moving nimbly between cars, but this undoubtedly represents a risk, especially for the motorcycle rider, who may not be seen by someone opening a door or by a car pulling away. To address this, throughout 2021 a rule will come into force allowing us to ride on the hard shoulder when the road is congested and not exceeding 40 km/h.

However, the motorcycle rider can do little if the road they are travelling on is in poor condition, so the public administrations have committed to paying greater attention to Motorcyclist Protection Systems (SPM), thereby increasing the number of kilometres of our roads without the conventional crash barriers that can cause such harm to a motorcyclist in the event of an accident.