Cork Second Only to Dublin for Motorcyclist Deaths and Serious Injuries, New RSA Report Finds

Cork has recorded the second-highest number of motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries in the country over the past five years, according to a new Road Safety Authority (RSA) report published today.

The Motorcyclist Spotlight Report: Fatalities and Serious Injuries 2021–2025 shows that 117 motorcyclists lost their lives and a further 954 were seriously injured on Irish roads between 2021 and 2025. That equates to an average of 23 motorcyclist fatalities and 191 serious injuries every year.

Motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all road fatalities and 12% of all serious injuries over the period. For every motorcyclist killed, approximately eight others were seriously injured.

Of particular concern, 2025 recorded the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities at 30, the most since 2007, when 33 motorcyclists were killed.

Dublin recorded the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities at 22, followed by Cork with 11 and Wicklow with 9. Cork also had the second-highest number of seriously injured motorcyclists, with 118 (12%), again behind Dublin.

Among those who lost their lives, the largest share of fatalities was among riders aged 46 to 55 (26, 22%), closely followed by those aged 16 to 25 (25, 21%). Of the 117 motorcyclists killed, 116 were male and one was female.

More than one-third of fatalities (37%) occurred between 1pm and 5pm, while almost half (46%) happened at weekends, on Saturday and Sunday. A quarter of motorcyclists were killed at junctions, and nearly two-thirds of fatalities (64%) involved a collision with another vehicle.

Turning to those seriously injured, four in five were aged between 16 and 55, and 92% were male. Two-thirds of these casualties were injured in multiple vehicle collisions, in which "failure to observe" was the most frequently noted action for both the motorcyclist and the other driver.

The majority of serious injuries (70%) were sustained on a straight road. Two-thirds of casualties were injured between 12pm and 8pm, with Sunday the most dangerous day (22%). June recorded the highest number of serious injuries, accounting for 14% (132) of the total.

Nuala Carey, Interim Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, said:

"The increase in motorcyclist fatalities in 2025 is deeply concerning and highlights the need for all road users to remain vigilant and responsible. We are urging drivers to take a second look before pulling out, changing lanes or turning. Motorcyclists also have a responsibility to ride safely, stay visible and anticipate potential hazards. If we all look out for one another and share the road safely, we can help prevent further tragedies."

The report was prepared using data from the Irish Road Traffic Collision Database, based on collision records transferred from An Garda Síochána to the RSA. All information for the years 2022 onwards is provisional and subject to change.

It follows the publication in April of the RSA's report Serious Injuries Among Motorcyclists, which used data from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry Database covering 2020 to 2024.