In 2006, 58 motorcyclists died on Scotland’s roads. The number of accidents involving motorbikes is also on the increase. As part of an ongoing road safety campaign, the Scottish government is calling on road users to become more biker aware. Director of road safety Michael McDonnell explains the dangers of motorcycling.
THERE has been an alarming increase in the number of people killed or injured while riding motorbikes in recent years.
In saying that, the increase is in conjunction with the rise in the number of people taking up riding.
However, it means the need for safety awareness is even greater.
Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than other road users. They ride machines which can do just about anything a car can, but which don't offer the same protection.
Most motorbike accidents actually happen in built-up areas and they tend to be the fault of other drivers.
In general, other drivers are not thinking about bikers or about anything smaller than themselves so they routinely cut out in front of bikes or open doors without looking. I used to ride a yellow bike and wear high-visibility clothing and still, the number of people who would cut me up and then say they just didn't see me, was incredible.
Everybody is also usually travelling at low speeds in built-up areas which means injuries don't tend to be as serious. In rural areas though, everything changes.
Then, most motorbike accidents are the fault of the biker and because of the high speed, they tend to result in fatal or serious injuries.
Simple mistakes are to blame for the majority of accidents - driver error or a concentration lapse but combine that with breaking the law in some way, either by drinking or speeding, and a crash is more likely.
So, the message to all road users is to be more aware of bikes.
And for bikers, don't be over confident . All bikers should also have some form of advanced training, especially those returning to biking after a few years.
original article
Time for road users to be more bike aware - The Daily Record
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