Whether heavy motorcycles should be allowed on freeways would require a public consensus and approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, despite a decline in dangerous riding behavior by heavy motorcycle riders, the National Freeway Bureau said yesterday.
As heavy motorcycle riders have been petitioning for years for the right to drive on freeways, the ministry launched a one-year trial in July last year, allowing riders access to a branch road of the Formosa Freeway (Freeway No. 3A) and Highway No. 64.
The ministry at the time also listed specific standards that heavy motorcycle riders must meet before it would consider allowing them access to all freeways, including an analysis of the number of fatal accidents caused by motorcyclists and the number of traffic tickets issued.
Some of the frequently cited complaints against heavy motorcycle riders include frequently swerving in and out of traffic, overtaking other vehicles or changing lanes without following proper procedures, riding alongside other vehicles in the same lane, riding on freeway shoulders, failing to follow traffic signs or signals, and failing to keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
The bureau yesterday announced the results of the one-year evaluation.
While the percentage of heavy motorcycle riders engaging in dangerous behavior on Freeway No. 3A rose from 8.16 percent in the first quarter to 11.69 percent in the second quarter, it declined to 7.35 percent in the third quarter and 6.04 percent in the fourth quarter.
The percentage of unruly motorcycle riders on Highway No. 64 also dropped from 9.46 percent in the first quarter to 4.79 in the fourth quarter.
However, the percentages of motorcycle riders engaging in dangerous riding behavior in both sections were still higher than those of car drivers, the bureau said.
Car drivers also fared better than motorcycle riders in terms of the number of fatal accidents and traffic infringements, the bureau said.
Whether heavy motorcycle drivers should be allowed access to all freeways would require a public consensus, it said.
The ministry is to decide when or how the trial would continue, the bureau said, adding that it is scheduled to meet on Thursday next week, when government officials, transportation experts and civic groups would jointly discuss the results of the one-year trial.
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