In the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2019), from the total of 17,183 road fatalities recorded in the country, close to 21.8% were motorcyclists, Iranian Legal Medicine Organization reports.
Referring to the latest data on road mortality in Iran, ILMO announced that 3,745 motorcyclists lost their lives in road accidents during the period, ISNA reported.
The data analysis of motorcyclists who died in road crashes shows 54.6% were between 18 and 39 years. Youngsters in the 11-17 age-group accounted for 12%. People older than 60 years and those in their 40s respectively accounted for 11.9% and 10.7% of the total victims. Children under 10 years constituted 1.5% of the total recorded deaths.
Tehran with 386 motorcyclists' deaths topped the provincial list. Fars and Isfahan followed with 327 and 289 deaths respectively.
The least number of deaths among the drivers of two-wheelers were in Ilam Province with 12 reported cases. It was topped by the provinces of Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad with 22 and Ardabil with 23 victims.
ILMO’s charts show 44.5% of the deadly accidents happened on intercity roads. Urban and rural roads were the next deadliest places to claim 38.5% and 10.8% of total victims respectively.
Gender-wise, 3,608 of victims were men and 137 were women.
Injury to the head was the leading cause of death (51.6% of cases) in fatal motorcycle crashes, which is over 1,900 motorcyclists.
According to Traffic Police, this is mainly because many bikers do not wear helmets, especially during the summer months.
Motorcyclists and their dangerous driving habits have long endangered the lives of pedestrians and themselves. Motorbikes used for moving goods and passengers are also an irritant to pedestrians, as most bikers make a mockery of traffic rules and get away with it.
The Traffic Police regularly urge bikers to respect traffic rules. They repeatedly warn drivers and motorists against using cellphones, text messaging and munching while driving.
Motorcycle accidents can result in serious consequences, including brain damage, spinal cord injury, broken bones, and more. These injuries can be life threatening and require lifetime medical treatment many cannot afford.
There are over 7 million registered motorcycles in the country, almost half of which is in the capital city.
