Two motorcyclists killed in 24 hours, and a third critically injured, in three separate accidents in the Nuoro area. With the warmer weather, the early summer emergency returns: in Sardinia, hundreds of two-wheel enthusiasts choose the inland roads for adrenaline-filled, twisty rides. Many return with breathtaking images to post on social media, others with a lump in their throats: the loss of a friend, a father, a family member.
Sometimes, all it takes is an unprotected guardrail post or some sand on the asphalt. Giovanni Pintor, who survived the tragic 2017 accident on the Nuoro-Macomer highway that killed his brothers Matteo and Francesco Pintor, who crashed into a guardrail deemed to be improper, stepped in after yet another tragic day on Sardinian roads . Since then, he has become a symbol of the fight for road safety in Sardinia through the "#AdessoBasta" association and his international commitment to safe mobility.
From New York, where he's currently based, Pintor comments harshly: "The situation is embarrassing. We've known the solution for years, yet people continue to die like this, needlessly. It would be enough to treat guardrails like speed cameras: register them and replace all those that don't comply with the most modern safety standards. Today, two more families have fallen on hard times. I don't know how those who manage our roads manage to sleep soundly. " This accusation once again brings to the fore the issue of safety on Sardinian roads, especially on the stretches most frequented by motorcyclists during the summer season.
For years, associations and families of the victims have been calling for the replacement of obsolete barriers and for urgent road maintenance, but the number of accidents continues to rise with the arrival of the first influx of tourists and motorcycle rallies. And while spectacular images of the Supramonte curves and inland roads stream across social media, Sardinia continues to grapple with a long trail of bloodshed that recurs punctually every summer.