Don't be blind to bikers - major campaign launched in Greater Manchester

Date published: 29/01/2006

A major new campaign has been launched encouraging drivers in Greater Manchester to "take longer to look for bikes". Across the area 795 motorcyclists were casualties in road accidents in 2004, with 177 killed or seriously injured.

Nationwide, an estimated 1,500 motorcyclists are killed or seriously injured every year when drivers look but fail to see them. Motorcycle casualties fell in 2004 but bikers still account for 17 per cent of road fatalities, despite making up only 1 per cent of vehicle traffic.

Stephen Ladyman, Road Safety Minister, said: "A quick glance is not long enough to check if a motorcycle is approaching. Drivers need to take an extra second or two to look out for bikers.  It really can be a lifesaver."

He added: "I enjoy biking, but I worry about not being seen. At the same time bikers have a responsibility to look after themselves and make themselves as visible as possible to drivers."

Stephen Whitehouse, chairman of the Local Authority Road Safety Officers Association (LARSOA) in the region, said:

"In busy traffic it's easy for drivers to fail to spot motorcyclists. Especially when pulling out at a junction, drivers need to look and look again for bikers."
 
Department for Transport research* shows the most common cause of motorcycle crashes are 'right of way violations' where, typically, one vehicle fails to give way to another at a junction. In nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of these incidents where the driver is at fault, the motorcyclist would have been visible.

A poster campaign will also encourage riders to make themselves clearly visible to car drivers. They feature reminders for motorcyclists on how to make sure they are seen, with the first one being, 'If you can't see the driver's mirror, you can't be seen'.

The first burst of the television and radio advertising campaign targeting car drivers will run from 30 January until 12 March. Additional bursts will run from 2 to 15 October this year and from 26 February to 11 March 2007.

* In-Depth Study of Motorcycle Accidents (2004)