Government launches motorcycle safety campaign

A radio campaign aimed at reducing the number of collisions at junctions between cars and motorcycles is launching today across the country.

The THINK! radio campaign encourages drivers to take longer to look for motorcyclists after figures revealed that 30 bikers are killed or injured every day at junctions, Road Safety Minister Robert Goodwill has announced.
The ‘Didn’t See’ campaign will run for four weeks on national radio with the aim of reducing the number of motorcyclist and driver collisions on our roads. The new campaign follows recent statistics showing a small increase in the number of motorcyclists killed on UK roads, the first time a rise has been seen since 2006.
Research for THINK! has shown that drivers believe the majority of motorcycle accidents happen because of bikers breaking the speed limit – but statistics actually show around half of motorcyclist accidents,  where the rider is killed or seriously hurt, occur at junctions, with drivers failing to look properly being the most common cause.

Robert Goodwill said: “Every day more than 30 motorcycle riders die or are injured in accidents at road junctions. Often, though not always, this is because a driver has pulled out in front of a rider.
“More than two people lose their lives every week in this way and this is something we are determined to change – if all drivers and riders took a bit more care at junctions we could bring this figure down significantly.”
Motorcyclists make up just 1% of traffic on the roads but 19% of all fatalities. They are 55 times more likely than car drivers to be killed or seriously hurt in an accident.
 Motorcyclist Priscila Currie is supporting the campaign after an accident in central London changed her life.
 She said: “My accident happened because a car pulled out in front of me. I wasn’t riding fast, only at 30 mph, but the accident had a profound impact on my life – physically and mentally.
“I was hospitalised for 12 days with severe fractures and underwent 18 months of physiotherapy. It took more than three years for me to find the confidence to get back on a bike and I now live with pain every day, which has affected my mobility.
“People make mistakes but drivers should remember that mistakes can cost lives. Behind the motorcycle helmet is a person. We have families, friends, careers and a life, just like other road users, so I would urge drivers to please take longer, especially at junctions, to look out for motorcyclists.”
THINK! will also be launching a new campaign this summer encouraging motorcyclists to undertake further training and to ride defensively to help improve their safety on the roads.