In an effort to improve safety among new motorcycle riders, SGI is introducing a new fee to its Motorcycle Graduated Driver Licensing program.
Starting on June 15, a $500 fee will be added to the current driver’s licence fee upon entering each of the three stages of the program, a total of $1,500.
This fee will be waived for anyone who can prove they have completed an SGI-approved motorcycle training course. This course could be the 20-hour Canada Safety Council “Gearing Up” Training Course or an equivalent.
New motorcyclists will be eligible for a $450 training rebate if they entered the Motorcycle Graduated Driver Licensing (MGDL) program after Jan. 1, 2016, completed an approved motorcycle course after Jan. 1, 2016 and they graduated from the MGDL program without any incidents.
Incidents include suspensions, motorcycle-related traffic convictions or at-fault collisions.
The changes to the program were made after recommendations from the Motorcycle Review Committee. The committee was formed in 2013 to find solutions to motorcycle safety, coverage in the province and insurance rating.
“Motorcyclists, by virtue of being so exposed while riding, compared to those better protected in an enclosed passenger vehicle, are more vulnerable to injury in the event of a collision,” Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI, said in a statement.
“Safety is so important, and that’s what the training focus is getting at: being safe while riding.”
According to SGI, there were 199 collisions involving a motorcycle, moped or power cycle in 2014. As a result of those collisions, there were 144 injuries and three deaths.
SGI also says the average cost of a claim for a person injured on a motorcycle is four to five times higher than the average cost for a person inside a private vehicle. The average injury claim for a passenger vehicle is $29,000 compared to an average motorcycle injury claim of $141,000.
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