Road safety bosses are warning motorcyclists to "ease off the throttle" and keep within the speed limit this May Bank Holiday weekend.
So far in 2019, four motorcyclists have died on Irish roads, three more than in the same period last year.
Previous research carried out by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) found that speed is factor in half (49%) of motorbike collisions.
And preliminary results from a recent RSA survey of 450 bikers found that 12% had been involved in a crash in the past two years.
Three in five respondents (59%) reported having a near miss in the same period.
Summer is a high risk time, with July found to be the most dangerous month for collisions involving bikers.
Mr. Shane Ross, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, said: “Over the coming months, as the weather turns finer, there will be more motorbikes on our roads.
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"Motorcycle riding is fun and challenging yet it requires very high levels of knowledge, skill, and understanding. Any mistake on the road can lead to very serious consequences for all involved.
"We ask motorcyclists to act responsibly when using the road and thank the majority of bikers that do so.
"Equally I’m calling on drivers to be on the lookout for motorcyclists.”
Last year, 15 motorcyclists died on Irish roads, the majority of fatal collisions involved men aged between 21 and 56.
Ms. Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive, RSA, said: “Motorcyclists account for approximately 12% of road deaths on average each year, but motorcycles represent less than 2% of the vehicle fleet in Ireland. That’s a staggering fact.
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"Of the motorcyclist drivers killed over the last 5 years, from 2014-2018*, the vast majority of these were male riders.
"The highest risk groups were those aged between 25 and 44 years, followed by those aged 45-54.
"My message to these riders is to ease off the throttle and stick within the speed limits. Ordinary drivers need to be aware of motorcyclists, particularly in their blind spots, when turning, overtaking and at junctions.
"All road users must share the road safely and give space to others, particularly vulnerable road users – motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.”
And parents have been warned not to allow children access to scramblers or quadbikes due to the risk they pose.
Mr Keith Synnott, consultant at the National Spinal Injuries Unit in the Mater hospital said: "Quad bikes and scramblers are not toys, they are heavy, dangerous pieces of machinery that can cause life changing injuries or death.
"Riders risk spinal injury following a collision on a quad bike or scrambler. Impacts often happen on areas of uneven ground or as a result of unstable vehicles, especially in the hands of children, leading to people falling and landing awkwardly or the vehicle landing on the rider.”
