In Mexico City, a worrying increase in motorcycle fatalities in traffic accidents has been observed. In the second quarter of 2024, the report from the CDMX Mobility Secretariat recorded that 47% of the 148 deceased individuals were motorcycle drivers or passengers, while 31% were pedestrians. This means that practically one motorcyclist dies per day in the city, with ten consecutive quarters where they have represented the largest percentage of fatalities in road accidents.
It is noted that 55% of motorcycle occupants died in the second quarter of 2024 in incidents where no other vehicle was involved or when colliding with a fixed object. This raises the question of whether a city that issues driver's licenses without skills assessments or traffic education is co-responsible for these tragic incidents, considering that 80% of the deceased motorcyclists are men.
The proliferation of motorcycles, including the increasingly popular honey whale models, has become a response to the deficiencies in the city's mobility. The increase in motorcycle sales is reflected in the rise of reported fatal accidents since 2020, peaking in 2022. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2024, 42% of individuals injured in traffic accidents were motorcyclists, tripling the proportion of affected vehicle drivers or pedestrians.
The growth of the motorcycle market has been driven in part by the need for fast delivery services, leading to a greater number of vehicles on the streets. This situation prompts a reflection on the responsibility of governments in urban mobility planning and road safety, as well as in the precarious working conditions of motorcyclists who often lack health insurance. The explosion of motorcycles in cities reflects the lack of adequate policies and the attitude of society towards this latent problem.
