Cops watch out for two-wheelers this week

Traffic police are watching out this week for motorcycles and mopeds to make sure riders wear protective helmets and comply with rules on the road.

A weeklong road safety campaign began Monday and will last through Sunday, May 5, with traffic police officers focusing their attention on motorcycles and mopeds during the second such effort this year.

“Special attention will be given to preventing offences such as reckless driving, not using a protective helmet, violating the speed limit, and riding without a permit,” a police statement said on Monday.

It is estimated that just over 50% of fatalities involving riders of motorcycles and mopeds between 2014 and 2018 resulted from collisions where helmets were not used.

A number of fatal road accidents in recent months caught the attention of authorities after it became more difficult for police investigators to ascertain whether helmets were being used at all. In many cases, riders in Cyprus are seen on motorbikes with a helmet either on their arm or wearing it but not properly.

The World Health Organization recommends that countries set and enforce their own helmet laws. According to WHO, data show that almost a quarter of the victims of road traffic collisions who require admission to a hospital facility have sustained a traumatic brain injury.

The lack or inappropriate use of helmets has been shown to increase the risk of fatalities and injuries resulting from road crashes involving motorized two-wheelers, according to WHO, where non-helmet wearing riders are three times more likely to sustain head injuries in a crash compared to those wearing helmets.