Spain is poised to tighten safety regulations for motorcycles in a bid to curb motorcycle-related fatalities. The Spanish government has published two proposals on its Interior Ministry website, calling for a complete ban on open-face helmets and jet helmets, and requiring motorcycle riders to wear gloves. The proposal comes after the country recorded a record high of 286 motorcyclists killed in the past three years in 2023.
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The data revealed that 8 out of 286 people were not wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the accident. However, the data does not specifically state what type of helmet the other rider was wearing at the time of the incident. This is important because Spain now wants to require riders to wear full-face or modular helmets and ban open-face helmets completely.
Open-face helmets or jet helmets are very popular among Spain’s large population of low-speed motorcycle and scooter riders. Apart from the new riding equipment regulations, the Spanish government also plans to introduce mandatory motorcycle training for B-license holders with three years or more of riding experience who wish to ride motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125cc or less.
Spain’s B license is a standard driver’s license, and if you have at least 3 years of driving experience, you can drive small displacement motorcycles and mopeds of 125cc or less without applying for a motorcycle A1, A2, or A license. Masu.
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Electric motorcycles have fast acceleration times, making it increasingly important to curb helmet laws and riding regulations. Significantly, the Spanish government is making sure to compensate before the numbers rise further. However, there is no word on when the new law will come into effect in the country.
According to the latest Global Status Report on Road Safety by the World Health Organization, 150,785 people died from road accidents in India in 2018, rising to 153,792 in 2021. This is up from 130,000 people. In contrast, on a global scale, since 2010, the number of deaths from road accidents has decreased by 5% to 1.19 million per year.
India is one of the world’s largest two-wheeler markets and one of the countries with the highest number of motorcycle-related fatalities. Stricter enforcement is needed when it comes to proper helmet use and the wearing of helmets when riding a motorcycle, whether as a rider or a passenger.