A group of bikers from the Bikers Down Society rest in a parking lot. The society has been advocating for safer roads for motorcyclists. ContributedArticle contentThe Child Death Review Committee raised questions around regulations for novice riders in a report on the death of a youth who died in a motorcycle crash in Nova Scotia.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentDue to confidentiality, the committee states that all identifying and personal information was removed from the report before it is submitted. This means the specific factors that led to the child’s death are not publicly known.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentIn the report released Thursday, the committee said the child did not have a proper licence to ride a motorcycle so “changes in Nova Scotia’s licensing framework would not have prevented their death.”Article contentBut it still raised the issue of beginner riders using motorcycles that are too powerful.Article content“In the course of our deliberations, we found that there is some evidence that novice motorcycle drivers enjoy lower crash rates when they are limited to less powerful motorcycles,” the report states.Article content“In Nova Scotia, there is currently no limit on how powerful a motorcycle a novice driver can drive, and we believe that this specific issue should be studied for implementation in Nova Scotia.”Article content“These deaths can be avoided”: motorcycle advocateArticle contentThis is a change that the Bikers Down Society in Nova Scotia has been pushing the province to consider for years. The society provides temporary financial assistance and support to motorcyclists who have been in crashes.Article contentArticle content Members and supporters of the Bikers Down Society pose for a photo at Peggys Cove in September 2025. The society provides financial aid to bikers in accidents. ContributedArticle contentTracy Gauvreau, the society’s secretary, said she hopes the government listens to the recommendations and implements better infrastructure, more road signs and stricter regulations for novice bikers.Article content“Every rider should be able to get home safe,” said Gauvreau.Article contentShe said people new to riding motorcycles, whether they are 16 or 50, should be restricted to lower-power bikes.Article content“If you’re 16, you get your bike and you’re excited. You feel invincible, but you’re not invincible,” said Gauvreau.Article contentIt comes down to knowing how to handle the motorcycle you are on, Gauvreau said. If beginners start off with lower-powered bikes, they are less likely to lose control or reach dangerous speeds.Article content“All that stuff is avoidable,” said Gauvreau. “It’s about excessive speed, having something that’s way too powerful for you to be on that you can’t control, especially when you’re a brand-new rider and you don’t have that experience behind you.”Article contentNew motorcyclists should take safety courses, Gauvreau said, adding that the motorcycle training course provided by Safety Services Nova Scotia, or one similar, should be mandatory. She said that if the government could subsidize the cost of safety courses, they would be more accessible and fewer bikers would be in danger.
Nova Scotia motorcycle regulations need to tighten up for beginners, says advocate
