We were delighted to share iRAP insights on motorcyclist safety in Africa at last week’s Transafe Peer-to-Peer Exchange Workshop, led by ICLEI Africa.

Motorcyclist road safety is a significant problem in Africa. Motorcycles have a significant and growing share of the motorised vehicle population, and in some African countries, motorised two- and three-wheelers constitute the highest percentage of motorised vehicles. 

The virtual workshop aimed to foster a collaborative environment for experts and stakeholders to identify and discuss effective strategies to improve motorcycle rider safety on the continent’s roads, with a particular focus on:

Barriers to motorcycle rider safety
Understanding the primary barriers that contribute to the high risk of accidents and injuries among motorcycle riders, including environmental, behavioural, and infrastructural factors.

Mobility injury risk mitigation
Exploring methods and practices to reduce the risk of injuries for motorcycle riders, focusing on mobility and the safe integration of motorcycles with other forms of transportation.

Head injury prevention
Discussing innovative approaches, policies and best practices for preventing head injuries among motorcycle riders, including the use of protective gear and advancements in helmet technology.

iRAP Safer Journeys Lead Olivera Rozi presented alongside Sam Clark, Head of Programmes, Transaid; Dr Nzeyimana N. Innocent: Head of Injury Prevention, Healthy People Rwanda; Ludek Hyncik, Associate Professor, University of West Bohemia; and Chilekwa O’Brien, Research Evaluation Associate, Zambia Road Safety Trust.

Olivera shared data insights from the iRAP Safety Insights Explorer which show an estimated 14,127 motorcyclists are killed, and 285,036 motorcyclist fatalities and injuries occur in Africa each year at a cost of US$8.7 billion. Only 29 percent of roads in the region rate 3-star or better for motorcyclists.

iRAP partners have undertaken Star Rating and Risk Mapping assessments of nearly 92,000km across 27 countries of Africa, influencing the safety of US$3.1 billion of road infrastructure investment.

iRAP is supporting two additional upcoming events to advance road safety in Africa, and motorcyclists globally:

• Powered Two-Wheeler Safety Pre-Workshop of World Safety 2024, 31 August, New Delhi
• Africa Road Safety Seminar, 8-9 October, Nairobi

ICLEI Africa (Local Governments for Sustainability) reaches over 450 cities and regions in 53 countries across the African continent. It represents various development agendas, aligning work to African and global policies and local contexts, to influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, equitable, resilient and circular development.

Learn more about the human and economic cost of road trauma for motorcyclists, the road attributes that matter and the Business Case for Safer Roads in Africa, here.