‘THINK BIKE’ During The NPCC National Motorcycle Week 2018

From 27^th August – 2^nd September 2018 the NPCC National Motorcycle Week will be taking place. During this time drivers are reminded to ‘THINK BIKE’ and remember to treat motorcyclists with care on the roads.

To help spread road safety awareness for drivers and motorcyclists alike, we’re going to be covering some facts on motorbike dangers and offering some advice for drivers and bikers to look out for each other and to stay safe on the roads.

The Facts

Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable road user groups as they lack vehicle protection and can be difficult for drivers of cars and bigger vehicles to spot on the road. As a result of their vulnerability, motorcyclists account for a disproportionate amount of traffic accidents.

Let’s take a look at some of the dangerous facts:

• Despite accounting for less than 1% of all road traffic each year in the UK, motorcyclists are involved in roughly 19% of all vehicle fatalities
• Motorcyclists are 57 times more likely to be involved in a serious collision than car & van occupants.
• There are roughly 30 serious collisions including motorcyclists at junctions every day in the UK.

Despite these statistics showing the dangers posed to motorcyclists are very real, the frequency of motorcycle accidents has actually dropped significantly compared to past data and there’s no reason why it can’t keep falling if drivers & bikers put safety first and use care and caution on the roads.

Safety Advice For Drivers & Motorcyclists

We don’t want motorcyclists and drivers to go away scared by the facts we’ve mentioned, instead we want to offer some valuable advice that will help you to stay safe on the road – allowing you to drive with confidence whether you’re a motorcyclist or driver.

Tips for Car Drivers

• When you’re waiting at a junction spend more time looking for bikes and make sure you don’t pull your vehicle out at a motorcyclist.
• Watch for motorcyclists overtaking you and make sure you leave them adequate space to avoid an accident.
• Keep your distance when driving behind a motorcyclist as inexperienced riders may feel uneasy with a moving car close behind them. Also if a biker comes to a halt quickly in front of you you’ll have enough room to slow down safely.
• Check for motorcycles when switching lanes – they can move faster than cars and may move quickly into a space that you’re looking to enter, so double check before moving over.

Tips for Motorcyclists

• Be aware of your surroundings and anticipate the actions of others so that you’re ready to react to any hazards if and when needed.
• Keep a safe distance between yourself and others on the road so that you can slow down in time if someone slams on the brakes.
• Wear protective clothing to keep yourself safe in the event of an accident, casual clothes just aren’t enough.
• Consider taking further training lessons to better your riding skills and improve your awareness on the road.

Stay Safe on the Roads and ‘THINK BIKE’

Hopefully you’ll take on board some of our valuable advice and drive safer on the road for yourself and others around you. It doesn’t take much hard work for drivers and bikers to look out for each other while driving, and that little extra concentration and awareness could very well save a life!

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