New Plastic Divider Posts on Ayalon Highway Create Deadly Hazard for Motorcyclists
Last Thursday, motorcyclist Alex Pardelin was killed in a fatal accident on Tel Aviv's Ayalon Highway (Highway 20) after colliding with newly installed yellow plastic divider posts separating the newly opened rapid public transit lane from regular traffic lanes. Pardelin, riding his Ducati Multistrada in the leftmost lane adjacent to the transit lane, reportedly tried to evade a car veering toward him by maneuvering between the divider posts. He struck a taxi in the transit lane, was thrown back into traffic, collided with another vehicle, and died at the scene.
The divider posts, designed to prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering the transit lane, have been criticized by motorcyclists as a "death trap" due to the lack of escape space. Veteran riders and motorcycle safety experts highlight that these flexible plastic posts, while safe for cars, pose extreme danger to two-wheelers traveling at high speeds, as even slight contact can cause riders to lose control. The absence of a shoulder and the narrow space between the posts leave motorcyclists with no safe maneuvering room, forcing them into perilous situations when cars encroach on their lane.
Despite multiple accidents and warnings from riders, authorities have not removed or modified the divider posts. The Ayalon Highways company recently banned motorcycles from using the rapid transit lane, citing narrow lanes and collision risks with buses, despite Ministry of Transportation studies showing motorcycles integrate safely in transit lanes elsewhere.
In response to Pardelin's death, Orly Stern, CEO of Ayalon Highways, sent an urgent letter to the Israel Police Traffic Division and the National Road Safety Authority demanding immediate enforcement against illegal lane usage, blaming human error rather than infrastructure design. Critics argue this approach ignores the inherent dangers of the current road design and call for safer infrastructure with escape openings for motorcyclists.
The National Road Safety Authority is currently reviewing the issue in coordination with Ayalon Highways. Meanwhile, motorcyclists continue to face significant risks on the highway, with calls growing louder for urgent changes to prevent further fatalities.
