A study, commissioned by the Swedish National Road Administration, of the safety aspects of mopeds and the light motorcycle A1 category (max. 125 cc) has been carried out. The study consists of a comparison of European countries. An important part of the information was gathered using questionnaires that were filled in and returned by all EU countries except Greece and Ireland, and two non EU countries, Norway and Switzerland. In addition, several European databases were used, among which CARE. A literature study of crash analyses was also carried out. A comparison was made of national moped regulations, such as: minimum ages for riding a moped, theoretical test, practical tests, speed limits for urban and rural roads, compulsory helmet use and the existence of registration plates and documents. Various European countries appeared to encounter the same problems concerning the following subjects: tuned-up mopeds, separation of mopeds from other traffic, and the minimum age. International data shows that the crash rates for mopedists and motorcyclists are high in comparison with, for example, motorists and cyclists. It seems that the anti-tampering measure that was introduced for mopeds a few years ago, can be sidestepped. Also, the new EU regulation that promotes the use of the 125 cc motorcycle by setting the low minimum age of 16 years and permitting motorists who have had their driving licence for a few years to drive a 125 cc motorcycle without having to pass an exam, is bad for road safety. Regarding this, the study recommends sharpening the EU anti-tampering of mopeds and light-mopeds regulation, as well as the European Commission proposal of October 2003 to harmonize the driving licence regulations.
Samenvatting