With the arrival of the warm season, the circulation of motor vehicles on the roads increases. For this reason, the Police of the City of Lugano, with the contribution of the BFU – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention, promotes the prevention campaign OK Biker to raise awareness among motorcyclists about the behaviors to adopt and the dangers of the road.

Luoghi con maggiore concentrazione di incidenti con motoveicoli a Lugano (2015-2018)
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Motorcyclists: Behaviors for Their Own Safety

For their own safety and that of other road users, motorcyclists should adopt the following behaviors:

  1. Maintain correct and respectful behavior towards other road users (Art. 26 of the Federal Act on Road Traffic)
  2. Wear an approved protective helmet
  3. Avoid overtaking beyond the safety line and/or near curves and pedestrian crossings
  4. Maintain position in stationary queues
  5. Adhere to speed limits
  6. Use dipped headlights even during the day
  7. Avoid excessive and disruptive noise by modifying exhaust pipes or removing silencers

Recommendations from the BFU – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention

  1. Always assume that you may not be seen
  2. Adopt a defensive, preventive, and law-abiding driving style
  3. Do not overestimate your abilities, especially when riding a heavy and/or powerful motorcycle
  4. Wear, in addition to the helmet, good protective equipment, even on short trips
  5. Ride only motorcycles equipped with an anti-lock braking system and an integrated braking system

Other useful tips are provided by the BFU – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention as part of the campaign "Bikexperts: Stayin' Alive".

The 2020 campaign report

In 2020, the Police of the City of Lugano, in collaboration with the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU), took part in the OK Biker campaign from Wednesday, 9 September, to Saturday, 19 September. Drivers who were "stopped" were reminded of the dangers that can arise when riding a two-wheeled vehicle in city traffic. They were also made aware of the importance of driving a vehicle that complies with regulations and the crucial role played by personal protective equipment.

The main focus of the police's actions was on raising awareness, and only in a few serious cases were drivers fined. Each motorcyclist received informational material containing the BFU's advice as well as a campaign-related gadget.

The officers, who set up 22 checkpoints throughout the city's territory, observed an improvement in the general condition of the motorcycles checked (a total of 673) compared to previous years. However, personal protective equipment remained a weak point, as there is no specific regulation in this regard. In fact, several drivers were found riding with unsuitable clothing.

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Since 2015, motorcycle accidents in Lugano have steadily decreased:

Statistica incidenti in moto

However, the consequences of accidents can be very serious for motorcyclists.

According to the BFU – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention, for every kilometer traveled on a motorcycle, the risk of being involved in a serious or fatal traffic accident is about 50 times higher compared to car occupants. Moreover, approximately 30% of the seriously injured and fatalities in road traffic are motorcyclists.

In Lugano, the percentage of motorcyclists with serious injuries in road traffic is unfortunately significantly higher than this figure. From 2015 to 2018, the following were recorded in Lugano:

  • 72 accidents with serious injuries
  • 73 seriously injured people, corresponding to 51% of all seriously injured (143); this equates to an average of one seriously injured person every 20 days
  • 1 deceased motorcyclist, out of a total of 4

Starting from April, the number of accidents involving motorcyclists increases significantly; September is the riskiest month in Lugano.

Statistica incidenti in moto mensili

From Wednesday to Friday, the highest number of accidents is recorded in Lugano, with a peak on Wednesday, which accounts for nearly twice as many accidents as on Monday.

Statistica incidenti in moto settimanali

The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.

The original version is the page in Italian.

See also