Seven of the 15 people killed on Cyprus roads so far this year were motorcyclists, with up to six of the seven possibly not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said on Tuesday after a Road Safety Council meeting that agreed a package of safety measures.
Of the seven motorcyclist fatalities, five were riders, one was a passenger and one was riding a moped. One further fatality involved an e-scooter rider. The remaining deaths were two pedestrians, four car drivers and one car passenger. The total is two higher than at the same point last year, according to traffic police figures presented to the council.
Vafeades said four of the seven motorcyclists were confirmed not to have been wearing a helmet. “There is also the possibility that six of the seven were not wearing a helmet, because one was found nearby” at the crash scene, he said.
The minister added that poor motorcycle maintenance was also a factor. “We will chase this issue too, to see whether mechanics are carrying out motorcycle maintenance correctly or not,” he said.
Asked how mechanics would be checked, Vafeades said the Department of Road Transport maintains a register of private vehicle inspection centres and that a campaign would examine what the centres are monitoring, what passed inspection, and what happens the following day.
He said a similar campaign had been run when problems emerged with buses, and had identified cases where mechanics had not been applying the law correctly on required checks.
What the council agreed
The Road Safety Council agreed a package of measures focused on motorcycle safety. These include a subsidy for the purchase of safety equipment, the possible scrapping of older motorcycles that lack necessary safety mechanisms, and an inspection campaign covering all motorcycle maintenance carried out through private vehicle technical inspection centres.
The safety committee will record, evaluate and bring forward recommendations for adoption by the relevant ministries, Vafeades said. The meeting was attended by Justice Minister Costas Fytiris, police and public works representatives, and Adonis Christofides, president of the Cyprus Motorcycle Federation and this year’s road safety ambassador.
On helmets, Vafeades said the council also discussed possible new specifications and how to help motorcyclists obtain one. “It is something that is in the ministry’s budget — it is simply a matter of deciding the specifications and announcing it,” he said.
Vafeades confirmed the awareness campaign would also run in English, saying it was essential given the number of foreign nationals riding motorcycles in Cyprus.
Adonis Christofides described the federation’s participation as “very important in offering our expertise on improving motorcycle road safety in Cyprus,” adding that they had put forward clear positions. “We see that the state authorities are willing to respond so that we can take substantive measures to address the problem,” he said, expressing confidence that the collaboration would deliver significant results. He said the recommendations covered immediate, medium-term and long-term actions aimed at addressing the issue through a comprehensive policy.
Delivery riders in the crosshairs
The government is also moving against delivery riders and others who use motorcycles for work on a learner’s licence. Vafeades announced that a Council of Ministers decision would follow shortly to begin enforcing legislation barring learner-licence holders from riding professionally. He said the six-month extension granted previously was coming to an end and all motorcycle riders would be required to meet basic safety requirements.
Adonis Christofides said motorcycles of all engine sizes must be treated the same way. “We need to start looking at motorcycles through the same lens,” he said, adding that motorcycles should not be differentiated by engine size.
Fixed cameras under study
The Road Safety Council also discussed two camera-based measures the Traffic Police intend to pursue to reduce deaths from mobile phone use and speeding.
According to information obtained by Phileleftheros, one involves installing fixed cameras at the entry and exit points of motorways to record average speeds across each stretch. If a vehicle covers the distance in less time than the permitted average speed allows, a fine would be issued immediately.
The second measure involves studies into whether fixed cameras can record mobile phone use at the wheel as a standalone offence. Currently, a driver can only be reported for mobile phone use if they are also caught speeding or running a red light. Because careless and negligent driving is the leading cause of fatal road collisions, authorities are studying how cameras could record phone-in-hand driving on its own, and examining how comparable systems work in other countries and whether they are compatible.
