As traffic starts to increase again on the roads after a year of reduced travel, here’s how those who ride motorbikes can stay safe and alert on their journeys.
How do motorbike accidents compare to car accidents?
For the majority, most of England’s road-traffic is made up of cars, with this statistic taking up 80% of the roads in 2017. This figure accounted for 787 deaths on the road.
However, the number of fatalities to those who ride motorbikes is nearly half of that, which is a scary statistic considering motorcyclists only take up a small percentage of today’s traffic.
Those who ride pushbikes are, again, a small percentage but there is still a large portion of these deaths too.
What age group is most likely to be involved in an accident?
It’s been proven that motorcyclists who are between the ages of 25 and 59 are the most likely to be involved in a fatal or serious accident whilst driving their bike on the roads.
This is closely followed by those aged 20 to 24. In 2019 alone there was almost 1800 motorcyclists aged 20 to 24 seriously injured or killed whilst riding their bikes.
How does this figure look over time?
This figure remains quite shocking, but it has decreased by a large amount since 2008.
This could show that motorbikes are being made to be safer for the user, and it could show that bike tests such as CBTs are becoming more thorough. Having proper training and tests can help a new rider to understand their relation to the road better and leaves less room for mistakes that could be detrimental.
What are the most common causes for accidents?
One of the most common reasons for a motorcyclist to be involved in an accident is the failure to negotiate bends. This is where bikers will attempt to overtake each other at a bend in the road and be met with oncoming traffic. This could be due to approaching the bend too quickly or misjudging the bend.
Poor road conditions are another common factor. In icy conditions, or when grease, petrol and other debris has been spilled on the road this can cause the bike to lose grip and the rider to lose control. This can be particularly dangerous when travelling at high speeds and these types of accidents can cause serious injuries.
How can motorcyclists stay safe?
As motorcycle technology only continues to advance, it’s hoped that safety will follow suit and there will be more ways to motorcyclists to stay safe on the roads.
With newer bike models, they will include safety features such as sensors and warning systems to always alert you of your surroundings. This will also be incorporated into the helmets including voice control and Bluetooth connectivity, reducing the temptation of wanting to change music or add in a destination on their phones and taking their hand off the handlebars.
Motorcyclists should only aim to go on the road with the right protective equipment such as full leather bike suits, correct footwear, a reliable helmet, and gloves. They should also make sure that they have a trustworthy motorbike insurance plan set up in the event they should get into an accident or have their bike stolen.
