The number of registered motorcycles in Türkiye has more than doubled over the past seven years, reaching 7.2 million, while motorcycles now account for over half of all traffic accidents.
Data from the Ministry of Interior show that the number of registered motorcycles, which was 3.3 million in 2019, climbed to 7.2 million by 2026. The share of motorcycles among all vehicles rose from 14.1% to 20.9%.
In the past year, the growth of other vehicles remained at 5.9%, while motorcycles increased by 12.7%. This rapid rise in motorcycles has contributed to higher accident rates.
In 2024, motorcycles were involved in 45.7% of the 266,872 total traffic accidents, and last year, they accounted for 50.2% of 288,318 accidents.
Motorcycle-related fatalities nationwide reached 1,553 in 2024 and increased to 1,675 in 2025, with a daily average of 4.6 deaths.
Efforts to address the rising accident rates have shown positive results in the first quarter of this year.
Between Jan. 1 and March 26 of this year, motorcycle fatalities fell by 29.8% compared to the same period last year.
During this period, fatal accidents decreased by 22.1%, from 68 to 53, and deaths at the scene or shortly after dropped from 124 to 87. The daily average death toll declined from 2.9 to 1.9.
The total number of accidents involving fatalities and injuries decreased by 3.2% to 23,377, while the number of injuries fell by 4.6%, from 28,464 to 27,141.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi recently described the decline in fatalities as encouraging but stressed that the ultimate goal is “zero deaths” on the roads.
He noted the substantial increase in motorcycles on Türkiye’s roads in recent years, saying, “The growing density of motorcycles requires all road users to reassess their traffic awareness. The nearly 30% reduction in fatalities in the first quarter reflects the results of rigorous field inspections and awareness campaigns.”
Addressing the main causes of motorcycle accidents, he added, “Excessive speed and improper lane changes remain the leading triggers. Weaving recklessly between vehicles, sudden lane changes without signaling, and ignoring speed limits make accidents inevitable."
"Motorcycling demands high attention, defensive driving skills, and full concentration. Safe riding goes beyond wearing a helmet; it requires reading the road, avoiding blind spots, being visible, and knowing limits,” he said.
Çiftçi also emphasized that traffic safety requires collective responsibility, “All drivers, not only motorcyclists, must act responsibly. Roads are not exclusively for four-wheeled vehicles, motorcycles are a legal and natural part of traffic. Check mirrors carefully when changing lanes or opening doors, respect the space motorcycles occupy, and avoid putting them at risk.”
