The Minns Labor Government is today announcing the most significant motorcycle safety reforms in nearly 20 years.
The reforms include targeted, evidence-based measures to protect novice riders and save lives, while complementing the government’s broader efforts to improve road safety infrastructure across NSW.
Coinciding with Motorcycle Awareness Month, the reforms to the Motorcycle Graduated Licensing Scheme (MGLS) form a cornerstone of the Government’s 2026 Road Safety Action Plan – with the long-term vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on NSW roads by 2050.
The reforms follow extensive consultation, including via the 2025 NSW Motorcycle Safety Roundtable, which brought together more than 70 riders, trainers and safety experts. Their recommendations, captured in an independent Insights Report, have directly informed these reforms and are released publicly today.
The Insights Report found overwhelming support for better rider training and education, protective gear standards and enhanced road infrastructure.
Key reforms include:
- Mandatory protective gloves for all learner and provisional riders.
- High-visibility vests for learner riders to improve visibility and awareness on the road.
- Extended pre-learner course, increasing training with experienced riding instructors, allowing for more and improved learning outcomes and skill development.
- New online learning modules and knowledge testing, to expand theory requirements.
- Group on-road coaching and assessment, bringing NSW into line with best practice in other states.
The Insights Report highlighted the growing trauma burden among motorcyclists.
In 2024, 68 riders and passengers were killed on NSW roads, a 34 per cent increase from the previous year. Motorcyclists remain 34 times more likely to die in a crash than other road users.
While motorcycles make up just 3.8 per cent of registered vehicles, they account for almost 20 per cent of road deaths.
Learner and provisional riders face the highest risk on NSW roads, with crash data revealing that learner riders are more than seven times as likely to be killed in a crash compared to fully licensed riders.
The evidence is clear: as riders progress through their licence stages, the risk of fatality falls, demonstrating that structured training and on-road experience save lives.
These changes strengthen that pathway, giving riders more time and support to build safe, confident habits from day one.
The landmark reforms complement the Minns Government’s investments in road safety infrastructure that helps to keep motorcyclists safe, including rub rails on barriers, improved shoulders, safer line markings and targeted road upgrades.
The Government acknowledges that these reforms may place additional demands on riders. However, NSW’s motorcycle training pathway is subsidised to support high-quality training for riders and will remain one of the most affordable in Australia.
The rollout of these reforms will be staged over multiple years to allow for detailed program design, industry-wide communication and preparation of training providers to deliver the enhanced training.
Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:
“We are delivering the most significant motorcycle safety reforms in almost two decades.
“These reforms are about smarter, safer riding. They’re grounded in data, evidence-based and shaped by insights from riders and safety experts and proven to work in other jurisdictions.
“The Motorcycle Safety Roundtable gave us strong direction, as is evident in the Insights Report we’ve released today. Riders want safer roads, better training, and more support to build good riding habits, especially for young and new riders.
“These reforms target novice riders because they are over seven times more likely to die in a crash than experienced riders.
“By strengthening training, improving on-road experience and mandating simple protective gear, we’re giving new riders the best possible start.
“We’re taking a whole-of-system approach: safer people, safer roads and safer vehicles. It’s all part of our Towards Zero vision of eliminating deaths and serious injuries by 2050.
“Every life lost on our roads is one too many. We all have a role to play in keeping NSW roads safe.”
Transport for NSW Secretary, Josh Murray, said:
“Each year Transport for NSW issues around 25,000 learner licences with approximately 40 per cent of new riders being under 25. These changes are designed to reduce the risk to this group who are over-represented in motorcycle trauma.
“Training and protective gear can save lives. Gloves reduce hand and wrist injuries by almost half, and high-vis vests make riders easier to see. These commonsense measures also improve safety appreciation from the start for novice riders.”
Motorcycle Council of NSW Chairman, Vinnie Bee said:
“The Motorcycle Council of NSW (MCCNSW) acknowledges and broadly supports initiatives aimed at improving rider safety, including proposed changes to protective gear requirements and the rider training scheme for novice riders.
“The MCCNSW is committed to working through these reforms with all relevant stakeholders to make sure these changes will improve safety for riders and to ensure the demand for an increase in training and supervision can be met while remaining affordable.
“We await further detail as the proposals are finalised, and will continue to advocate for practical, evidence-based measures that genuinely enhance rider safety.”
