New videos for learner drivers' biker awareness

The DVSA have bolstered their learner driver information with new videos that specifically highlight how easy it is to miss a motorcyclist on the road if you don’t look properly, following a campaign led by Ria Brisland.

The computer generated videos are designed to be thought provoking and will encourage learner drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists however they won’t make up part of the theory test.

The videos are all from the car seat, with a view of the road ahead, with one video showing a bike travelling towards the car with low sun and a following vehicle all but obscuring the bike during a quick glance.

The videos are the result of a campaign run by Ria Brisland, whose 19-year-old son Nick was killed after he was forced into oncoming traffic when an inattentive driver pulled out in front of him.

Shockingly despite making only 1% of traffic on the roads, bikers make up 19% of all fatalities on the roads and of all the motorcycle accidents per year around 17% (over 2600) are caused by a driver failing to look properly.

“Britain’s roads are among the safest in the world, but still far too many vulnerable people are involved in fatal and serious injury collisions each year,” says Michael Ellis, Road Safety Minister.

“After reading Ria’s story and her concerns for fellow bikers, I was determined to help her and I am delighted that these clips will now be seen by millions of learners, helping improve road safety.”

The campaign has been pushed heavily by Mark Winn, the DVSA’s Chief Driving Examiner, who is a keen motorcyclist. “DVSA’s priority is to help everyone through a lifetime of safe driving.

“These important new clips, created with Ria, will aid driver and rider training and protect vulnerable motorcyclists. We’ll be using them in our educational products and on social media to help drivers keep a lookout for motorcyclists.”

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Campaign to add bike awareness to test

First published – 27/04/2018

A campaigning mum who lost her son in a bike accident is fighting to get motorcycle awareness included in the driving theory test.

Nick Brisland was 19 when he died in an accident while riding to a local bike meet. He was killed instantly when he swerved into oncoming traffic as he tried to avoid a driver who had pulled put of a drive. However, the Crown Prosecution Service declared that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute in this case.

His mum Ria said: “The way in which he was killed could have been so easily avoided. That’s what spurred me on to help other riders. How many times have you heard someone say: ‘Sorry mate I didn’t see you?’ I want to reach the masses with this campaign and I will not stop until we’ve achieved something.”

Inspired by an annual rideout in Nick’s memory, from Southampton to Loomies bike cafe, Ria decided to launch a campaign to have the driving theory test include a compulsory section on motorcycle awareness.

She set up a petition to present to the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling MP. It has had over 120,000 signatures and she was at Loomies last weekend collecting more signatures for the petition.

“The support has really surprised me. As well as this campaign, we’ve also set up the Nick Brisland Trust, which is raising money to install roadside defibrilators and I’m going into schools so that children learn to look out for bikes from an early age. That’s going well, too.” Once the petition reaches 150,000 signatures, Ria intends to hand it to Grayling in person.

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Updated 01/05/18

Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling MP, has agreed to meet Ria within in the next few weeks with a view to changing the theory test to include motorcycle awareness.