Motorcyclists on Czech roads: accidents up by a fifth over the past decade

The number of traffic accidents involving motorcyclists in Czechia has risen by roughly a fifth over the past ten years. According to Czech police data processed by analytics firms DataFriends and Portál nehod, 2024 set a record with 3,861 accidents, while last year saw only a slight dip to 3,807 cases.

The number of accidents caused by motorcyclists themselves rose from 1,796 in 2016 to 2,264 last year — now accounting for 59.5% of all accidents involving them. Particularly alarming is the fact that in 63.8% of fatal cases, the cause was an inappropriate speed.

Speed and overestimating one's abilities

"Speed itself is a problem — but not one confined to motorcyclists," says traffic psychologist Matúš Šucha from Palacký University in Olomouc. According to him, an unspoken rule still persists in Czechia that exceeding the speed limit by 10-20 km/h outside built-up areas is considered acceptable.

For bikers, there's also the added pull of adrenaline and thrill-seeking. As Josef Šiler, an instructor at the Sršeň motorcycle school, points out, the combination of inappropriate speed and overestimating one's own skills is one of the key issues: modern motorcycles pack power that demands experience and proper riding technique.

Young riders at greatest risk

The accident statistics broken down by age are telling. Over the past decade, riders under 25 caused the most accidents — 5,042 cases, followed by the 35-44 age group with 4,094 accidents.

Instructor Šiler sees the root of the problem among young riders in the combination of inexperience with the high power of modern motorcycles. "Young guys get on a bike and immediately want to push it to the limit," he noted, adding that in some European countries, training to ride powerful motorcycles includes mandatory track sessions under an instructor's supervision.

Where accidents happen most often

By road type, most motorcycle accidents occur on local roads — 34.7% of all cases. Next come Class II roads (25.6%), Class III roads (19.2%), and Class I roads (18.1%).

Šucha also points out that annual statistics are heavily influenced by how many kilometres motorcyclists actually ride during the season. "It's enough to have more sunny, rain-free days in a given year," he explained — more riding opportunities also mean greater exposure to risk. The psychologist considers the "Learning to Survive" programme a useful measure, combining riding-technique practice on a closed track, traffic psychology sessions, and input from medical professionals.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz