Spain study visit on the safety of motorcyclists 2025
A delegation with representatives from the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Traffic Police, and ETSC participated in a study visit on the safety of motorcyclists safety in Spain on March 6–7, 2025. The visit was hosted by the Spanish Directorate General for Traffic (DGT), a partner in the EU Road Safety Exchange project, and involved contributions from the City Council of Madrid, the Municipal Police, and the Autonomous Region of Madrid.
The delegation was received at the headquarters of the Directorate General of Traffic by María Lidón Lozano, Secretary General of the DGT. After an overview of Spain’s current motorcycle situation, DGT experts shared the latest legislative developments on motorcycle training. These included a modification in the courses for category A driving licence, placing more emphasis on training on open roads. The new course also strengthen the use of protective equipment, as both the driver and the trainer wear airbag clothing.
The partners from Spain also shared some insights into a draft project aimed at holders of a B licence with 3 years of experience who wished to drive A1 category motorcycles. Recent research showed that this group represents a significant proportion of drivers involved in serious collisions with motorcyclists, as they may not have the necessary skills to control a motorcycle. To address this, DGT prepared a training course covering basic aspects of motorcycle control and anticipating road safety risks in both urban and rural driving conditions.
Another good practice shared by DGT with the Greek project partners involved establishing a platform for rider training in the delivery sector. This platform would offer incentives for delivery companies to have their riders undergo training courses to improve their driving skills, in the form of some tax reductions. The plan is to have this training available online and free for all users, for a minimum training of this category of users.
Post-licence training was discussed, which is also linked to the Spanish penalty point system. The system provides an opportunity for drivers who want partial recovery of points to gain two points through completion of the training. These courses include, among other, awareness-raising and feature a psychologist trained in road safety, with special part of the training dedicated to the specific offences commited. One of these models is for motorcyclists, allowing for more targeted and relevant training courses.
Additionally, the penalty points system offers incentives for safe and responsible driving. Drivers who do not commit any offenses for three years receive two extra points, and after another three years, they receive one more point, bringing the total possible points to 15 for well-behaved drivers.
One of the latest developments is a voluntary course for safe and efficient driving, following the same principles of raising awareness and avoiding risky behaviours on the road. By completing this course, drivers can earn two driving licence points. Two separate courses will be available – one for category B vehicles and one for motorcyclists.
After the presentations on driver training, participants heard from the association of motorcyclists the Asociación Mutua Motera, emphasising the importance of cooperation between authorities and motorcyclists to understand the direct needs of riders and the strategies being developed by authorities like DGT. This work involves various areas, including training, infrastructure developments, and public perception of motorcyclists.
The Greek Ministry of Infrastructure representatives shared some of their measures for improving motorcycle safety, as well as urban road safety developments in Greece. Currently updating their traffic law, the Greek representatives shared plans to introduce 30 km/h zones in cities and expand their safety camera network. Specifically for motorcyclists, the participants discussed the possibility to allow motorcyclists to overtake vehicles in traffic jams, increasing fines for not wearing a helmet, and addressing motorcycle parking issues.
Following exchanges during the first phase of the EURSE project, Greece has introduced advanced stopping lanes for motorcyclists, allowing them to position themselves ahead of vehicles before an intersection. This improves visibility and reduces the risk of motorcycle-vehicle collisions. Initially presented as a pilot project in Madrid, advanced stopping lanes have now become a standard feature throughout the city and have proven to be a successful road safety measure in Spain.
The afternoon focused on mobility in urban areas. Participants visited the Municipal Police headquarters for an afternoon session on motorcyclist safety in Madrid. The Municipal Police presented key figures on crashes involving motorcyclists, noting that while motorcyclists make up only 7% of vehicles, they accounted for 20% of crashes.
Officers highlighted a trend of increasing motorcyclist crashes, emphasising the particular risk of category B licence holders driving A1 motorcycles without proper training. The planned mandatory training course for this group by DGT could be highly impactful.
The first day of the visit concluded with a presentation from the head of traffic regulation in Madrid, who showed the council’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), the most important traffic calming measures implemented, the operation of the shared motorcycle system and the parking management system for these two-wheeled vehicles.
The presentation also covered recent developments with the advanced stopping lanes, which now accommodate both motorcyclists and cyclists. To facilitate this change, citizens can now apply for advanced stopping lanes in their area through Madrid’s city website.
The second day of the study visit began with a presentation on DGT’s vigilance campaigns. These include cooperation with the police, joint activities with local councils in Spain, as well as awareness-raising efforts and the distribution of informative leaflets with safety recommendations for cyclists. A good example shared was the promotion of safety equipment, where police officers wear airbags to demonstrate their potential use for Spanish riders.
The focus then shifted to infrastructure measures, highlighting a good practice inspired by Austria on promoting safe cornering. This involves marking curves to guide motorcyclists on where to position themselves while driving. Spanish experts explained how these decisions are made and how the markings are applied. They gather video recordings of actual manoeuvring in different curves, analyse the positioning of the motorcycles, and then communicate the results to the road owner for adjustments to the road markings.
A presentation on the most recent data for motorcyclists in Spain followed, focusing on 2023 and 2024. Key takeaways included an increase in crashes on highways over the last year, where it is harder to implement infrastructure measures to reduce the speed of motorcyclists. Alcohol and drugs remain related to 28% of road crashes involving motorcyclist deaths, a worrying number despite the enforcement efforts and ongoing campaigns aimed at raising awareness about these issues.
A project developed by the Autonomous Region of Madrid was presented, focusing on an in-depth analysis of hotspots within the region, which will lead to preventive safety actions. The investigation teams include one motorcyclist expert to ensure their perspective is considered when determining necessary actions. The Ministry of Transport demonstrated current protective systems on Spanish roads and explained how data analysis from motorcycle safety technology is contributing to more timely and efficient solutions.
Both Greece and Spain have a large number of riders in their countries and face similar challenges in terms of road safety. Both parties agreed on the importance of such exchanges, where good practices are presented in detail. The next step is a national workshop in Athens with the participation of the Spanish partners.