A TOP motorcycle safety expert has warned the shocking deaths last weekend are only going to get worse in August.
Statistically this month is the peak time for fatal crashes, as more tourists and day-trippers head out on our winding country roads.
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And Neil Greig, safety officer with the I Am Road Smart charity, is working with Scottish Government ministers as well as Police Scotland on proposals to re-educate motorcyclists as an alternative to prosecuting them.
It is hoped it will help reduce the fatalities, which saw 27 bikers killed on our roads last year, and a shocking four just last weekend.
Chief Features Writer MATT BENDORIS speaks to Neil about what needs to be done to make our roads safer for bikers.
AFTER four motorcyclists lost their lives last weekend Police Scotland’s head of road policing Chief Supt Hilary Sloan urged “every driver to think about their behaviour on the road”.
Candice Adam, 29, from Dalry, Ayrshire, died following a collision at a roundabout in Lochgilphead, Argyll and Bute on Sunday.
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Three other people died in a separate crash involving two motorbikes on the A6088 in the Scottish Borders at about 2.30pm on Sunday.
The riders, a 37-year-old man, along with Andrew Lartey, 29, and his pillion passenger Georgia Tate, 23, from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, were pronounced dead at the scene between Bonchester Bridge and Carter Bar.
Neil Greig, from the charity IAM Road Smart says: “There are concerns that this is going to be a very, very bad year for motorcycle crashes and August is the peak month for motorcycle crashes.
“That’s because it’s the summer and people are going out onto 60 miles per hour country roads.
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“You have to be on your best behaviour all the time because Scotland’s roads are very unforgiving. If you make a mistake, then you’re going to end up hitting something very, very hard.”
That’s why he agrees with Chief Supt Sloan that all road users need to be more aware of motorbikes - to prevent a “them and us” mentality.
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He explains: “Overall, about a third of motorcycle injuries, the motorcycle is the only vehicle involved.
“So the motorcyclist has made a mistake. If you look at the sort of general trends, it’s loss of control on left hand bends, failing to look properly. But two thirds of the crashes involving motorcyclists involve another vehicle. For car drivers the top reason for collisions is they failed to look properly.
“So we as car drivers, as well as the motorcycle riders, have to take responsibility.
“The key thing is looking out for motorcyclists. People emerging from junctions in front of a fast moving motorcyclist is a pretty unsurvivable crash for the motorcyclists - although the car driver will possibly survive it.”
Speaking about the A83, where motorbiker Candice perished, he added: “I was on the A83 myself at the weekend and it is very busy with motorcycles.
“And some of the behaviour, like filtering past cars stopped at the road works at the Rest and be Thankful, is intimidating for car drivers, but it is actually legal.
“But I think the motorcyclists themselves have to understand that their behaviour can be intimidating to car drivers, especially if there are 20 of them all moving to the front of the queue.
‘Them and us’
“Maybe they have to think about that as we don’t want a ‘them and us’ situation on the road where car drivers don’t like motorcyclists, and motorcyclists don’t like car drivers.”
Neil is currently working with Police Scotland on a pilot Rider Refinement training course for motorcyclists to help them ride responsibly.
While he’s also a partner in the Scottish Government’s Motorcycle Focus Group which aims at reducing the fatalities on our roads.
He says: “Motorcycle crashes are being taken very seriously by the Scottish Government.
“We need to be sharing the road safely because ultimately that’s going to deliver reduced numbers of fatalities.”
But Neil has called on the authorities to introduce speed awareness courses in Scotland for motorcyclists as an “alternative to prosecution”, just as they do in England.
He says: “The research over many, many years shows if they are sent on a speed awareness course they are a lot less likely to reoffend.
“What we’re also pressing for is the UK Government to take VAT off of air vests which act as a sort of airbag if a rider comes off the bike, and have been shown to reduce injuries. Ultimately if more of us are motorcycling it will help the government to hit our green targets as they do generate less carbon.
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“However, first we need to educate all road users because as tragic events at the weekend demonstrated there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to try and get the message out that motorcycling is a very enjoyable form of leisure pursuit - but can also be very dangerous.”
For more information visit: iamroadsmart.com
