Mopeds most dangerous form of transport on way to school
Fresh figures from traffic institute Vias show that over 40% of youngsters aged between 16 and 18 have been involved in an accident on the way to school were on a moped.
From 2014 to 2018 8,121 Flemish youngsters were involved in accidents on their way to and from school. Fortunately most of the youngsters only sustained light injuries, though 9 youngsters were killed in a four year period.
It’s above all older youngsters, in the 16 to 18 age bracket, which are involved in accidents. Some 43% of this age group that was involved in an accident was on a moped.
The traffic institute’s Stef Willems explains youngsters have a hard time judging the dangers on a moped at this age: “16 is a typical age at which youngsters use a moped to get to school, but they are not always ready to judge the dangers linked to a mode of transport that can reach high speeds.”
If mopeds are the most dangerous mode of transport for getting to school, accident numbers are falling.
Due to the number of moped related accidents this form of transport is becoming less popular. Police also take action against youngsters using mopeds that have been tampered with to increase their maximum speed.