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Weekend motorbike crashes more severe

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Crashed bike on slippery tar on Mt Glorious

Weekend motorcycle crashes are more severe and costly than during the week, according to figures from insurer Youi.

Friday is the worst day for all types of motor vehicle crashes. 

However, Youi claims data from January 2016 to September 30, 2017, shows motorcyclists are more likely to crash on a weekend.

Saturday is the highest-risk crash day of the week at 43.3 % followed by Sunday at 27.7%. Weekday crash frequency rates are considerably lower than these two weekend days.

That’s understandable because most motorcycle use is on weekends for recreation.

However, while commuting can be hazardous, weekend crashes are more severe, at least in terms of the cost of motorbike repairs.

Severe weekend

Youi data shows the average claim cost on Saturday is 37.4% higher than on a weekday. It is a whopping 42.7% more costly on a Sunday.

CEO Frank Costigan says weekends are “clearly a high-risk period for motorcyclists as riders often take to the road in groups”.

He fears that a “sense of competition” may creep into group riding behaviour. 

“Motorcycles are mainly used as commute vehicles during the week and we see typical peak periods for crashes between the hours of 8-9am and 3-6pm,” he says.

“However, our research showed that when it comes to rider behaviour there are two distinct groups – the weekday rider and the weekend rider.”Fatality Free Friday weekend severe

The data also shows that more than half of all motorcycle crashes over the weekend (54.6%) involve no third party. Weekday solo crashes are 37.4% of all weekday motorcycle crashes. 

One-third of motorcycle crash claims occur on leisure rides compared with only 10.4% during weekdays. 

“The considerable difference in weekday and weekend claims suggests that some riders may take to weekend roads to test the limits of their machines challenging their riding skills and abilities,” Frank says.

Safety tips

Youi has issued the following safety tips for riders:

  • Always wear an approved standards helmet;
  • Wear appropriate tear-resistant clothing including long pants and jacket;
  • Wear safety equipment covering eyes, feet and hands when riding;
  • Dress to make yourself more visible;
  • Ensure your pillion passenger is wearing the right safety gear; and
  • Always ride to the conditions. 
  1. I ride a motorcycle 7 days [no car] i do notice the much larger volume of bikes on the weekend. It is a bit like the difference between ordinary cyclists and the looney lycra mob. tight groups ..flat out..at some time stupidity and lack of experience will overide the best ABS and traction control in the world

  2. There may be some truth here, but since when was YOUII interested in motorcycles? As far as I know, insurers try to charge you a higher premium if you use your bike to commute – especially if it is a large capacity engine. The current trend for insurers – especially YOUII is to give you a reduced premium if you ride or drive less. This marketing tactic flies in the face of the evidence that clearly shows that the more time you spend on the road, the LESS likely you are to crash. The more you practice anything, the better your skills become. (This was from a study that was referenced on the RMS website when they were conducting a review of CTP premiums a few years ago) YOUII are a company that ask a million questions on the proposal, with each one an excuse to charge you a higher premium. The CEO jumps to the conclusion that riding in groups induces a” a sense of competition”. Does he have any evidence for this? I ride in a group that never does. Even if a group of possibly inexperienced riders do indulge in on road racing, ultimately each rider is the one in control, making the decisions, not the “group”. The final safety tips from them are also indicative of their level of motorcycle awareness – Always wear a helmet? pure genius. Wear bright colours??? This has been studied and debunked many times, with inconclusive results at best. YOUII should stick to insuring car drivers.

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