Motorcycle user casualties, 2015 (Wales)

These casualty statistics for Wales show that despite a year-on-year fall in the number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) motorcyclists in 2015, the figure remains above the average for the five-year period 2004/08.

The figures show that 273 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured (KSI) on the country’s roads in 2015. This represents a year-on-year fall of 3%, but an increase of 6% over the 2004/08 average of 257.

Looking only at fatalities, there were 25 deaths in 2015 – down from 28 in 2014 and an average of 33 in the period 2004/08.

The figure of 248 serious injuries in 2015 represents a year-on-year fall of 2% (254) but a 6% increase compared with the 2004/08 average (224).

420 motorcyclists were slightly injured, a year-on-year fall of 10%, while the total number of casualties fell by 8%, from 749 in 2014 to 693 in 2015.

Looking at gender, 92% of KSIs and 87% of slight injuries were male riders. Furthermore, the number of male KSIs was three times higher than total female motorcyclist casualties for all severities.

The figures also confirm motorcyclists’ status as vulnerable road users. During 2015, motorcyclists accounted for 0.2% of traffic in Wales, while motorcycle riders comprised 41% of KSI casualties of all motor vehicle drivers/riders.

On top of that, relative KSI risk per billion vehicle kilometres travelled is 89 times higher for motorcyclists than for car/taxi/minibus drivers.

In terms of overall road casualties in Wales in 2015, there were 7,682 casualties of all severity, 105 deaths and 1,081 serious injuries.