Teenagers and motorcycles: another tragedies in Zhytomyr and Lviv regions and how to prevent them
Traffic accidents involving underage motorcycle drivers have become commonplace in cities and villages. These are no longer isolated cases, but a long-term trend that is gaining momentum, especially with the beginning of a full-scale war. Teenagers are increasingly driving without licenses, the necessary training and understanding of basic safety principles. They sit on equipment that requires adult responsibility, while they themselves do not yet have a formed idea of limits and consequences. The war only exacerbated this problem. The lack of necessary attention from parents and prevention, the weak work of schools and communities – all this creates a fertile ground for repeated scenarios: motorcycle, loss of control, injuries, hospital, investigative actions. Such were the events of June 21 and 22 — in Zhytomyr and Lviv regions, where minor motorcyclists were involved in accidents with serious consequences.
The case in Zhytomyr Oblast
Late at night on June 21, in the village of Kodnya, Zhytomyr district, a 16-year-old boy, driving a Lifan motorcycle, was moving along Zhytomyrska Street in the direction of Grabovsky Street. At some point, he lost control, left the road and crashed into a metal pole. The blow was so strong that the teenager was taken to intensive care. Investigators are now investigating all the circumstances of the accident. The preliminary legal definition is part 1 of Article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: violation of traffic rules that caused bodily harm.
Street, darkness, speed and machinery that does not forgive mistakes. Perhaps it was a challenge for the boy or just a night’s entertainment – there are many such stories. But they always have the same ending: bruises, injuries, or worse, death.
Tragedy in Lviv Oblast
The next day, June 22, the accident happened in the Lviv region, in the village of Giche. This time, a 15-year-old girl was behind the wheel, who got on a Viper motorcycle and took a peer. Their trip ended in a ditch because the driver lost control and the car flew off the road. Both were hospitalized with injuries, and the police opened proceedings under the same article of the Criminal Code. About this reported in the communication department of the police of Lviv region.
Both teenagers were not of legal age to drive a motorcycle, but the technology was there, the access was there, but the control was not. In rural communities, a motorcycle is a common form of transportation, and children have much more free access to it than in cities. This is combined with a lack of leisure time, weakened social institutions and the general instability of wartime.
Age, rights, control: what the law says
According to Ukrainian legislation, driving a motorcycle is allowed from the age of 16. To do this, you need to pass an exam and get a category A or A1 driver’s license, which allows you to drive mopeds and motorcycles with an engine capacity of up to 125 cubic meters. see To obtain a license under the age of 18, written permission from a parent or guardian is required. Without it, any driving is considered illegal, but in reality, children often get behind the wheel earlier.
Causes of tragedies
What is happening cannot be explained only by the carelessness or risk-taking of the teenagers themselves. Children live under stress, often without a father who is serving or dead, with a mother who is focused on survival, and grandparents who are not always influential. Children lack a structured environment, and street independence and technology become a source of both adrenaline and trauma. Psychological instability, loss of structure, lack of activities – all this encourages the search for adrenaline or escapism. A motorcycle is both a symbol of freedom and an opportunity to express yourself.
Teenagers do not think in categories of mortal risk. They have no idea how a spinal injury works or what the risks of an open fracture are. Their views are shaped by TikTok, YouTube and local authorities. And until the system is able to give them a safe alternative, the motorcycle will remain a source of attractive but dangerous experience.
What parents can do: practical advice
- Control the equipment. If you have a motorcycle, moped or ATV in your home, access to it should be limited. Keys must be kept by an adult.
- Explain the consequences. Speak without moralizing – show examples of what happens in a road accident. Don’t threaten, but clarify.
- Suggest an alternative. If a child is interested in technology, enroll him in a club, give him access to a simulator or organize training at a safe training ground after the age of 16.
- Don’t ignore the signals. If a teenager has changed dramatically—withdrawn, aggressive, or hyperactive—he may be trying to find a way out of stress. You should consult a psychologist.
- Get the community involved. Talk to other parents, contact the village headman or school management. Create a common position: “this is a danger”, not “this is a phase that will pass”.
- Remember: a driver’s license is not yet adulthood. Even at the age of 16, having a license does not mean you are ready to drive a motorcycle. Create a culture of responsible driving.
