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Background
As our roads become increasingly busy, it's an attractive option for employees to commute to work on a motorcycle. In a study carried out by Derby City Council and Derbyshire Country Council the main
benefits were seen as cost, avoiding of congestion, easiness to park and most of all the fact it is enjoyable.
So there are a lot of plus points for encouraging employees to ride a motorcycle to work.
The Risks
But what are the real risks behind biking?
If you're not a motorcyclist yourself, it's easy to get a very warped view of just how dangerous motorcycling is or isn't. Much received wisdom about the danger of riding is based on ignorance - a
Motorcycle Industry Association study showed that 66% of women and 60% of men who don't ride bikes associated motorcycling with danger. Respondents felt that motorcyclists were more likely to be involved
in an accident and not safe unless properly trained. For someone considering taking up motorcycling, these attitudes are likely to undermine willingness to become a rider.
It's hard to come by statistics that compare but the Minter report is held to have accurately estimated motorcycle mileage and shows the rate of motorcycle casualties exceeds that for car drivers by a
factor of just under 4, considerably less than is often stated.
Motorcyclists are not significantly more vulnerable than cyclists or pedestrians walking to work, both activities which are usually encouraged by safety bodies.
In fact, well trained riders can have fewer accidents than equivalently well trained car drivers. A study of accident rates by Kent police compared accident rates between police motorcyclists and police
drivers and found the motorcyclists slightly less likely to have an accident per mile than the drivers. , but that they were more likely to be injured in the accident.
Accidents
However, the injury risk involved in riding should not be underestimated - the Kent study just mentioned showed that although the motorcycle riders had fewer accidents than the car drivers, the riders
were more likely to be injured in the accident.
Figures from Transport for London show that in 2004, there were 5,558 motorcycle and scooter casualties in Greater London (down 14% from 6,469 in 2003). Of those, 4,663 suffered slight injuries, 848
serious injuries and 47 were killed.
The following statistics are taken from the Derby study:
- 16% of respondents had been involved in a TWMV accident in the last 3 years, over half involving a car and 38% with no other vehicle involved.
- 39% listed driver error as a contributory factor compared to only 12% listing rider error.
- 31% cited road surface issues as a contributory factor.
- 40% of riders between 20 and 24 and 35% between 25-29 reported being involved in an accident in the last three years. (This rate dropped as age rose).
- In total, however, the greatest number of accidents happened to 30-39 year old respondents.
- A greater proportion of less experienced riders had accidents in the last three years.
- In terms of absolute totals, however, the greatest number were those with over 20 years experience
- A slightly greater proportion of performance bikes were likely to be involved in an accident, but because they are over 2/3 of the bike fleet of respondents, an accident is far more likely to involve
one of these vehicles.
So, what can you do to encourage non-riders to take up motorcycling to work and to ensure that they, along with riders who already ride, are safe?
Training
From the Derby study:
- Around 1/3 of respondents have had no training at all. Around 20% have had advanced training.
- 1/3 of riders reported returning to riding after a break. Of these over 40% were for longer than 10 years.
- There is huge demand for training amongst respondents. Over half would like to do advanced training and 1/3 would like to train in cornering. Meeting the demand for this and other types of training
would have a significant safety benefit.
- The demand for advance training is across all age groups of respondents.
So-called "born again" riders returning to biking after a lay-off have been targeted as a high risk group by safety organisations and Bikesafe, the nationwide police initiative to improve riding
standards. Given that new riders must complete Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) before riding on the roads and the theory test before taking the DSA practical test, it's the "born again" category of
older, returning riders who are most likely to have had no formal training. Many of these riders are also affluent enough to purchase a high performance motorcycle.
At the other end of the risk scale are the inexperienced, frequently young, riders on small capacity scooters and motorcycles. They are likely to be commuting on L plates, because once CBT has been
completed, there is no statutory requirement to take further training or pass the DSA practical test, unless the rider wishes to ride a machine better than 125, ride on motorways or carry a passenger.
The solution
Survival Skills Rider Training's instructor, Kevin Williams, has nearly 30 years experience as a professional motorcyclist, working as a courier in London for over 16 years, and more recently spending
over a decade in rider training at all levels from complete beginner to advanced rider refreshers.
In particular, safety training is targeted at alerting riders to the most common accident scenarios and how to avoid them. For instance, one of the most common causes of motorcycle collisions in Greater
London occurs where the driver has failed to see the motorcyclist and has turned right across their path. Highlighting the dangers of riding is not intended to shock, or to deter people from taking up
motorcycling, but rather to highlight the vulnerability of bikers and the need for them to ride defensively.
Survival Skills can offer a range of solutions to any business wishing to encourage safer riding habits on their motorcycle-riding employees:
- individual practical training courses
- group practical training courses
- workshops and discussion groups on motorcycle safety topics
- motorcycle safety CDROMs at both basic and advanced levels
- on-line tutoring in defensive riding techniques
Contact us
For more information on any of the solutions above, please contact Survival Skills:
survivalskills@clara.net
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