Published 3 April 2023
NFCC Motorcycle Safety Week
This week is NFCC’s Motorcycle Safety Week. The use of motorcycles increased in 2020 – 2021 by 17 per cent. Despite motorcycles making up around one per cent of vehicle traffic, in 2021 they accounted for 20 per cent of road fatalities and 12 per cent of road injuries in Great Britain.
The campaign week encourages fire and rescue services and their partners to share safety advice for riders and – no matter what level of experience they have – to improve their knowledge and skills by taking additional rider education.
One of the available courses is Biker Down. A free three – hour session which provides practical and potentially lifesaving advice to motorcyclists delivered by riders for riders. The course is delivered across many fire services throughout the year and are suitable for riders of all experience levels, whether riding for work, pleasure, or both.
Fire bike teams will be out in their communities sharing advice and engaging with riders. A focused week of activity will include speaking to riders working in the gig economy not only about safe riding but correct PPE for motorcycles and where to get the right advice to ensure they are wearing the right gear. They will also be speaking leisure riders about ensuring bike maintenance and riding skills with a focus on ‘hot spots’ in their areas.
Dan Quin, NFCC Lead for Road Safety, said:
“Motorcyclists are over-represented in collision and casualty statistics nationally. With an increase in the number of people using motorbikes for both commuting and enjoyment, our aim is to encourage riders to do all they can to ride safe and ensure they do all they can to be visible on the road.
“This campaign at the beginning of the motorcycling season is a great opportunity for all partners to deliver a range of safety messages across the UK.”
NFCC have been working closely with partners to ensure safety messaging is shared as widely as possible both during the week and beyond.
RoSPA asks young riders and their families to #SkillUp during Motorcycle Safety Week
Motorcyclists aged 16 to 24 are twice as likely to be killed or injured than their 40-49 year old counterparts per capita, according to new data analysis by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
The analysis marks the launch of RoSPA’s Novice Rider Hub, which looks to help young motorcycle riders skill up and keep safe on the road through videos and advice. Nationally, 2021 saw 1,546 motorcyclists aged 16-24 injured or killed on Britain’s roads, compared to 704 40-49 year olds. The number of motorcycle riders is also rising, with CBT completions 22 per cent higher than they were in 2019.
The launch of RoSPA’s Novice Rider Hub coincides with The National Fire Chiefs Council’s National Motorcycle Safety Week, running from 3-9 April.
David Walker, Head of Road Safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said:
“When you’re a young adult and keen to get out and about, having your own transport is exciting and liberating. But we know that younger and novice riders are at the most risk of injury or death on the road, with 16-24 year olds twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured.
“Our Novice Rider Hub is a one-stop-shop for everything a young rider needs to skill up and ride safely, including videos, advice guides and more. We would encourage all parents of young adults who ride a motorcycle to check it out and encourage their child to do the same – knowledge saves lives.”
Dan Quin, Road Safety Lead for NFCC, said:
“The launch of the Novice Riders Hub during NFCC’s National Motorcycle Safety Week is fantastic news.
“This one-stop-shop is a valuable tool in supporting our work and that of fire and rescue services. It will help us to engage with and share trusted advice to those motorcyclists most at risk and their families.”
The National Young Rider Forum has also launched a series of ‘Spring has Sprung’ infographics, designed to engage with and help prepare young riders for riding out this Spring, will be shared on social media over the coming weeks.
They focus on important subjects, two of which are the use of helmets and the dangers of riding while under the influence of drugs. They are also encouraging young riders to familiarise themselves with The Highway Code – particularly the rules, regulations and traffic signs.