High profile motorbike crashes on Dublin’s M50 are likely a result of high levels of traffic and “failure to observe” by drivers, roads authorities have said.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has expressed concern about the number of motorbike fatalities, saying: “Staying alert and aware of those you share the road with is vitally important”. The authority also said a “failure to observe” was reported as the most frequently noted action for the motorcyclist and the other driver involved.
National roads operator Transport Infrastructure Ireland said the volume of traffic on what is the State’s busiest road was likely to be a more significant factor than anything to do with the M50’s design or engineering.
Both authorities said they were not commenting on Sunday’s motorbike crash in which a man died in a collision with a car near the southbound approach to junction seven.
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In recent years there have been a number of fatal crashes involving motorbikes on the M50 section between junction nine Red Cow and junction six Castleknock. In 2015 a motorcyclist in his 30s died following a crash on a Sunday evening near the ramp to the northbound lane at junction six near Blanchardstown.
In 2022, two motorcyclists were killed in a Friday afternoon crash with a lorry on the M50 between junction nine and junction seven. In May last year a motorcyclist in his 40s died between junction seven and junction six, again on a Friday.
On Sunday, a motorcyclist died in a collision with a car on the southbound carriageway of the M50 near junction seven at the Lucan/Palmerstown exit.
All of these fatal motorbike crashes occurred in the Western Parkway area – junction six to junction 11 – of the M50, which is among the sections of the motorway with the heaviest traffic. Annual average daily traffic numbers are in the region of 160,000 vehicles.
RSA research shows motorcycle fatalities across the State rose every year from 2019, when 16 bikers were killed, to 2023 when 26 were killed. Numbers fell to 17 in 2024, but there is continuing concern over the trend.
Statistics from the authority show two-fifths of motorbike fatalities occur between Fridays and Sundays.
The RSA has also warned of a number of factors in the deaths of motorcyclists. In a report in May last year the authority said peak months for motorcyclist serious injuries was between May and September, particularly around bank holidays in spring or summer. It said Sunday was the most dangerous day for motorcyclists and said eight in 10 motorcycle casualties occurred in daylight hours.
Sam Waide, CEO of the authority, said: “All drivers need to be aware of motorcyclists, particularly in their blind spots: when turning, overtaking, at junctions and when driving on straight roads.”
Paula Hilman, the assistant Garda Commissioner in charge of roads policing, has described motorcyclists as “especially vulnerable road users”. She also reminded motorcyclists of the Garda Bike Safe programme, which is available to them. Details can be accessed on gardabikesafe.ie.
However, one of the key issues in the Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 is the “efficient” sharing of road-collision data between An Garda Síochána, the RSA and local authorities. This has yet to be implemented.
Until 2020, data on collisions was uploaded on to a detailed interactive map system which could be accessed by the road engineering teams in local authorities.
However, early that year a legal issue arose within the authority about whether, under General Data Protection Regulation law, it could share the data with several public bodies, including local authorities.
While the Road Safety Strategy says this sharing of data is “of crucial importance” the issue is yet to be resolved.
