Scheme to get motorcyclist back into cars, retrain them to ride

Motorcyclists would be encouraged to swap two wheels for four as they continue to be overrepresented in the state’s road toll.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey

Motorcyclists would be given a discount on their driver’s licence if they gave up their bike licence under a proposal that would get returning riders to train up again before getting behind the handlebars.

It comes amid an ongoing surge in motorcyclist deaths on Queensland roads, with the riders making up almost half of road fatalities in the first 18 days of 2023.

QUT Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland professor Narelle Haworth has suggested a scheme that would encourage riders to give up their licence if they no longer wanted to ride.

Under her idea, riders would be given a discount on their car licence renewal if they gave up the bike licence – ensuring they would go through the necessary training if they wanted to take up riding again in the future.

“That I thought, for people who didn’t want to be motorcycling any more, OK. And then if they did then later want to come back again to motorcycling, then they would have to go through the system,” she said.

Professor Haworth suggested this would make it more likely that returning riders would have to learn about new motorcycles and refresh their skills.

She also pointed out the proposal – which she first floated some time ago at a previous road safety roundtable – would give the government a better understanding of who is actually riding motorbikes.

“We’ve got a wrong picture of who are motorcycle riders. And if we get a better picture then that will help to better tailor programs,” she said.

As of January 18, there had been 11 deaths on Queensland roads for 2023 – with five of them involving motorcyclists.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey will host a road safety roundtable next week, after Queensland last year recorded its worst number of road fatalities in more than a decade.

Mr Bailey said the increase in motorcyclist fatalities in recent times was “incredibly concerning”, as he pointed to a substantial jump in motorbike riders on the roads during the pandemic.

“In 2022 there were 74 motorcycle deaths on Queensland roads out of 299 deaths in total. This is a near doubling since 2018 where we had 43 deaths,” he said.

“I’m going into the roundtable with an open mind and will consider all proposals put forward from stakeholders.”

A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said Queensland had a graduated motorcycle licencing system (GLS) that is designed to help create safer riders.

“The GLS, which has been in place since 2016, helps ensure novice riders develop skills and experience in lower-risk situations before graduating to higher-risk situations,” the spokeswoman said.

“The GLS was enhanced in March 2021, with the introduction of the mandatory motorcycle (hazard perception test).”