Published: 02 November 2005
Safe Biking
Too many bikers are still being killed or injured on England's motorways and major A roads so the Highways Agency has launched a major initiative to help them stay safe.
Motorcycle casualty figures for 2004 on England's busiest roads show deaths and serious injuries are down on the previous year, but fatalities are nearly 20% above the Highways Agency's target baseline figure, and accidents involving bike riders and their passengers show no indication of a long term downward trend.
In 2004, deaths fell to 37 from 60 in 2003, and serious injuries were down from 390 in 2003 to 320 in 2004 - but the figures are still unacceptably high.
The Highways Agency is working closely with bikers to help them stay safe, as well as tackling accident spots on the roads.
Bikers visiting the Highways Agency's stand at the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show at the NEC, Birmingham, will hear about safety initiatives such as:
the new DVD called ‘Great Roads, Great Rides’ and
how the Agency is working in partnership with groups such as Handle It or Lose It and Shiny Side Up.
Stuart Lovatt, the Highways Agency's Road Safety Action Plan Coordinator, said:
"We want riders to come out and enjoy the freedom and excitement that motorcycling gives, but we want them to do this safely.
We are working to reduce accidents on our roads, but our efforts alone are not sufficient. Everyone who uses our roads owes it to themselves, their passengers and other road users.
Each accident is a personal tragedy, working together we can achieve even greater reductions in these accidents and casualties."
In addition to safety advice, the Highways Agency wants to find out where bikers feel most at risk on its roads and investigate ways to make routes safer.
The government recently approved the Bikeguard safety barrier system for installation at sites with a high risk of motorcycle casualties.
Bikeguard covers the barrier support posts and is designed to reduce the impact of injury when riders are thrown towards the safety barrier after coming off their machines.
There will also be a preview of the new "Great Roads, Great Rides" DVD, which the Agency plans to release in Spring 2006 as the new biking season gets underway.
"Great Roads, Great Rides" is the latest in series of innovative ideas to reduce motorcycle casualties. The DVD continues the theme of working together to reduce casualties and will pull together advice, information and best practice from a range of key partners.
Other campaign initiatives include:
- Active support for the Handle It or Lose It campaign, including development of the innovative website where bikers can share information about where they have 'lost it' on the network.
The Agency is using the reporting system and detailed maps to develop a dialogue with riders and pinpoint problems on the network.
- New guidelines on safer road design, compiled by the Institute of Highways Incorporated Engineers, are being promoted by the Agency to its own staff.
The ‘IHIE Guidelines for Motorcycling - Improving Safety through Engineering and Integration’ raise awareness of a range of issues of concern to motorcyclists, including road design and engineering, use of advance warning signs, safety barriers, raised drain covers and road markings.
- The Agency has recently been invited to join the Shiny Side Up partnership and has trialled the use of its biker signs in Cheshire to raise awareness of known accident sites.
- In Summer 2005, the Agency ran a campaign particularly aimed at bank holidays to remind riders to take care. It is planned to repeat this publicity in 2006.
Motorcycle statistics:
Motorcycles make up less than 1% of vehicle traffic, BUT
Riders suffer 14% of the total deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads
92% of all motorcycle accidents involve riders who have taken no advanced training.
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