Motorcyclists smash the theory

Bikers are regularly tarred with the reckless brush, and accused of being somewhere quite low on the evolutionary ladder of road users, but recent research by Carole Nash suggests that – in theory at least – us bikers have a big advantage over car drivers.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the first driving test, the specialist insurance brokers pitched motorcyclists head-to-head against car drivers to retake their theory test, and the results found that when it comes to road knowledge, two wheels are definitely better than four.

Based on the official DVSA test, it has revealed that motorcyclists fared better than their four-wheeled counterparts in 76% of instances – and more shockingly, that nearly one in five (16%) motorists would potentially fail their test were they to retake it.

The research has highlighted road sign recognition as a major concern. Given eight to identify, car drivers finished behind riders in six categories and whilst 83% of bikers were able to correctly identify all eight test signs, compared to 67% of car drivers.

When it came to other areas of road safety, motorcyclists beat car users eight times out of ten. For instance, 92% of riders knew the correct answer to the question “When may you cross a double solid white line in the middle of the road?” (to pass a road maintenance vehicle travelling at 10 mph or less) as opposed to 71% of car drivers.

Rebecca Donohue, Head of Marketing for Carole Nash, said: “Motorcyclists scored so highly because they must have their wits about them at all times. It’s an exhilarating way to travel, but it can also prove risky unless you are fully aware of everything around you and the rules of the road.”

“Many motorcyclists are also car drivers and what this survey shows is that experiencing the road using different modes of transport makes you a safer road user,” added the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA)’s Safety and Training Director, Karen Cole. “This endorses the idea that motorcycling should be encouraged as a long-term strategy to improve road safety.”

Take the test yourself on the Carole Nash website.