Govt wants to mandate airbags for bikers

The government said Thursday it wants to mandate airbags for professional motorcyclists, especially for food delivery drivers, after a spate of serious road accidents.

Speaking after a parliamentary committee, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos stressed that use of airbags will save lives.

He said the gear, weighing about a kilogram, will provide protection to motorcyclists who are extremely vulnerable to collisions.

In tandem with a helmet, use of an airbag would considerably reduce the risk of grievous injury.

Karousos alluded to the fatal accident involving a professional motorcyclist two days ago, and also to two serious accidents involving food delivery drivers in Paphos and Nicosia this week.

The minister said an airbag costs anywhere from €250 to €1,000. A scheme subsidising their purchase is available, and more funding would be made available over the next few years.

The gear purchase subsidy scheme has so far received some 2,700 applications.

Karousos said he hoped MPs would adopt the ministry’s views, wrapping up discussion of the relevant bill and forwarding it to the plenum for a vote as soon as possible.

The ministry meanwhile is considering another measure aiming to improve protection for motorcycle drivers – abolishing the right to drive a motorcycle of up to 124 cc on a student’s licence.

The minimum age for acquiring a student’s motorcycle license is 17.5 years.