If you drive along Maroondah Highway or the EastLink on a sunny weekend, you'll have noticed more motorbikes around lately. That's no accident. October is Motorcyclist Awareness Month in Victoria, and it lines up with warmer weather and longer days, when more riders get back on the road.
The month is led by Victoria's Motorcycle Community Engagement Panel, with support from the TAC (Transport Accident Commission), Victoria Police and the Department of Transport and Planning. The message runs both ways: drivers, actively look out for riders, and riders, think about the steps you can take to stay safe.
Why it matters
Riders have very little protection when something goes wrong. According to the TAC, motorcycles make up about four per cent of Victoria's registered vehicles, but riders account for around 21 per cent of road deaths and about 20 per cent of serious injuries.
There is some good news this year. As of 1 October, 22 riders had died on Victorian roads in 2026, compared with 45 at the same time last year. But serious injuries are still high, with 1,152 riders seriously injured in 2025.
And here's the bit that matters for every driver. Over the past five years, around 57 per cent of rider deaths involved another vehicle, and more than half of those happened at intersections. Weekends are the riskiest time, with Saturday and Sunday making up more than 40 per cent of serious rider injuries in 2025, and 2pm to 6pm the most common time for crashes.
If you drive
Look twice for motorbikes at intersections, before you turn, merge or change lanes.
Check your blind spots. A bike can disappear behind a pillar or a mirror.
Give riders plenty of room, and remember they may move within their lane to be seen or to avoid a hazard.
If you ride
Make yourself easy to see.
Wear protective gear on every ride. The TAC's new "Check Your Gear Before You Hit the Road" campaign points riders to MotoCAP, the independent star rating system for motorcycle gear, so you can compare jackets, pants and gloves before you buy. Have a look at motocap.com.au.
Rest before a ride and stay alert, especially on weekend afternoons.
What's on
The TAC will be at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island from 23 to 25 October to promote rider safety and protective gear. Thanks to the panel, the TAC and the volunteers running rider safety events across Victoria this month.
So whether you're on two wheels or four, the ask is the same. Take an extra moment at the next intersection. It could be someone's mum, dad or mate on that bike.
For more on rider safety, visit the TAC.
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