Latest Figures: more than 650,000 Motorcycles Now on Costa Rican Roads!

According to the latest official figures of registered motorcyclists, there are around 500,000 motorbikes on the roads in Costa Rica with a further 150,000 illegal vehicles, bringing the total to 650,000.  Each year, the numbers are dramatically increasing along with the fatalities from road accidents involving the motorbike.  Many take suicidal risks with veering in between vehicles and on the hard shoulders with car drivers constantly confronted with the sudden appearance of bikes, to their left, right and center, particularly during rush-hours.  Along with the barrage of bikes skimming dangerously too close to cars, many motorcyclists pay little attention to road safety, ignoring signs and signals to get through the traffic faster to their destination.

Primarily, most accidents are caused by the younger generation between the ages of 15 and 34 and according to statistics, in the first half of 2016, there have been 215 (on site) deaths.  In that same period of last year (2015), there were just 25 fatalities.

WHAT´S GOING ON?

Buying a motorcycle in Costa Rica is as easy as purchasing a microwave or music center.  Most appliance stores or bike dealerships offer discount prices with obtainable credit and no requirements to produce a drivers license during the transaction.  You can literally buy a bike, pay the money and take the vehicle home!

The project director of the Road Safety Council (COSEVI), Roy Rojas, simply explains, “it is less complicated to buy a motorbike than a washing machine or refrigerator.”

With motorcycles being relatively inexpensive to purchase and more fuel-efficient compared to a car, a growing number of people are opting for this mode of transport to maneuver through the cities traffic congestion’s.  Even in the rural areas, the bike has replaced the car and since the start of the “bike boom” in 2007, Costa Rica has seen an alarming rate of traffic accidents and deaths on the roads.

More worryingly, the 215 reported deaths of motorcyclists during the first half of 2016, does not take into account the loss of life after the injured have been administered to hospital or the passengers involved.  And with little being offered by the government to address these appalling rise of motorbike accidents, the number of fatalities on the roads of Costa Rica is only set to continue.

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